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Board directs staff to pursue hiring additional psychologist and safety coordinator amid staffing strains
Summary
Board members and district staff discussed critical shortages among school psychologists and the vacancy left by an administrator; after hearing concerns about caseloads and safety duties, the board directed staff to pursue both a school psychologist position and a safety/operations coordinator, with formal budget approvals to follow.
The Hickman County Board of Education spent substantial time on July 7 discussing two staffing needs: adding a school psychologist to reduce high caseloads and replacing a departing administrator with a safety and student support role.
Director of Schools Mullins and the district's newly introduced student director (Connie) described heavy workloads for the existing psychology team. Connie said the district currently employs three school psychologists who serve roughly 2,800 students, yielding an effective ratio near 1:960; she cited a recommended ratio of about one psychologist per 500 students. The psychologists' responsibilities include evaluations, functional behavioral assessments, creating behavior improvement plans and meeting a state requirement to produce certain reports within 48 hours, which staff said has increased their workload significantly.
Mullins said the district also needs to replace an administrator who handled multiple duties including attendance and safety coordination. He presented two hiring priorities: (1) an additional school psychologist to meet workload and compliance expectations and (2) a safety coordinator (the position described as the director of safety in prior discussion). Mullins estimated the combined cost for both new positions, including salary and benefits, would be roughly $200,000; he said the district already has about $115,000 allocated for the safety director line and that the combined hiring would require an additional roughly $65,000 to fully fund both positions in year one.
Board members discussed alternatives, including internal reassignments and seeking partial funding through federal or categorical programs tied to special education. Several board members and staff stressed the need to avoid overburdening current psychologists because extreme workloads risk staff departures. Mullins asked the board for direction; after discussion the board indicated a preference to move forward with filling both positions, subject to completion of a budget amendment and, if required, county commission approval for salary funding.
No final budget amendment or formal vote creating the positions was recorded at the meeting; staff said the psychologist job posting was active pending board approval and that a budget amendment and formal hiring approval would be placed on a future agenda.
