Cumberland County school leaders and board members spent a large portion of the Oct. 28 meeting reviewing TISA accountability results and options to boost third-grade English/language arts outcomes, including proposals to add classroom teachers and support staff and to increase family engagement and community partnerships.

Board materials showed the district's third-grade proficiency at 33.1% for the reporting year. Board members and staff discussed steps already taken and options for the coming year: targeted RTI (response to intervention) supports for K-3 and 4-8 clusters, strengthening family outreach, forming community partnerships (for example, connecting to local early-literacy initiatives), and exploring whether to add teacher or assistant positions using budgeted funds.

Staff presented universal screener and RTI data showing significant numbers of students in tier 2 (approaching proficiency) and tier 3 (below proficiency) across multiple schools; staff recommended adding targeted RTI assistance at five schools. One staff presentation estimated that adding five classroom teachers (one each at Brown, Martin, North, South and Stone) using already-budgeted money would reduce the district's class-size average to about 16.6; staff also noted the district currently budgets 50 teacher assistants and had 44 on staff at the time of the meeting.

Board members debated trade-offs. Some expressed urgency to deploy budgeted teacher positions this school year; others raised operational concerns: classroom space shortages at certain schools, the difficulty of hiring qualified teachers mid-year, and the disruption of splitting existing classroom groups. School leaders and the director emphasized that principals should be consulted to determine school-level needs and that some schools had already formed local plans.

Because the TISA accountability report must be submitted by Nov. 1, the board voted to postpone final approval and to handle the TISA report at a special call following the board's Monday retreat; staff said they would meet with principals and bring recommended language and a cost estimate back to the board Monday afternoon for a same-day vote. The postponement was approved by the board.