Knox County Board approves routine policy changes, grants, charter renewal, calendar and upholds disciplinary decision

Knox County Board of Education members adopted a package of routine policy changes, accepted grants and a memorandum of understanding, renewed the Emerald Charter Schools application, adopted a revised 2025–26 school calendar (option D), approved tenure recommendations and upheld a student disciplinary decision during their Jan. 9 regular meeting.

The board approved second readings of Board Policy D190 (payroll), D200 (expenses and reimbursements), D233 (technology purchases), D241 (internal school funds) and D280 (fundraising activities). Each policy motion was made by a board member and approved by voice vote with no recorded opposition on the record.

Board members also approved several grant agreements and memoranda: a memorandum of understanding with the Knox Education Foundation for receipt of up to $75,000 to fund completion of a literacy specialist cohort for 14 Knox County Schools employees; a Patel Education STEM classroom grant (total amount stated in the meeting as $68,500) for multiple elementary, middle and high schools; Knoxville TVA Broad [as read in the agenda] educator grants totaling $22,805.59 for a list of schools; a $5,000 student success grant from the National Education Association Foundation for Gibbs Middle School; and a $250 Early Educator Grant from Delta Kappa Gamma Society International (Tennessee Zeta Chapter) for Moreland Heights Elementary. Each of those items was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote as shown in the record.

The board also approved tenure for eligible teachers (the board noted 240…