Oak Ridge board approves budget transfers, federal funding application, contracts and multiple policy updates

The Oak Ridge Board of Education unanimously approved multiple fiscal and policy items during its meeting, including a FY25 budget transfer, the district’s FY26 consolidated federal funding application, several vendor contracts and a capital lease for athletic scoreboards.

Key votes at a glance

- FY25 budget transfer 4, second reading — approved. The transfer establishes a Creso grant budget, a summer learning camp and summer learning camp transportation grant budget, and routine transfers covering April 23 through May 12, per the superintendent’s presentation.

- FY25 Head Start self-assessment — approved. Board approved the required self-assessment and community assessment materials that drive preschool spending and budget development.

- FY26 consolidated funding application — approved. District staff said Tennessee’s ESEA/ESSA, IDEA and career-technical grants produce Oak Ridge Schools’ FY26 allocation of $2,335,484.74.

- Food service contract renewal with Southwest Food Service Excellence — approved. The item continues the district’s management contract; administrative and management fees will increase by 3.5% (divided over 12 months). The FY26 contract includes a guaranteed budget surplus of $75,000 and no meal-price changes for the 2025–26 school year.

- Services and equipment contract with Central Technologies (Knoxville) — approved. The board approved purchases and services for access control and CCTV equipment in the amount of $82,627.85 to refresh district access-control hardware and to address software-related issues.

- Government capital lease for scoreboards — approved. The board accepted a capital lease totaling $457,614.20 for replacement video and wireless scoreboards at Blankenship Field and Wildcat Arena. District staff said annual payments are budgeted under debt service and the first payment is planned for 07/01/2026 pending comptroller approval.

- Board policies and student documents — approved. The board approved Board Policy 5.31 (Vacations and Holidays), Board Policy 6.2 (Attendance) with an added category to excuse “related activities” such as competitions, Board Policy 6.411 (Student Wellness) (including a prohibition on withholding physical activity as discipline), and the Oak Ridge Schools Student Code of Conduct.

- Oak Ridge High School Student Council designated as a board advisory group — approved. The board approved the student council to operate as an advisory group to the Board of Education, fulfilling a recently passed state law; details on how meetings will operate will be finalized once school starts.

Procedure and voting

Most motions were presented on the superintendent’s recommendation and carried by unanimous vote after the board cast voice votes. Where motions were moved and seconded, the transcript records the mover and seconder (for example: many motions were made by Ms. Webb and seconded by Ms. Craven or by Dr. Hartman). The board held brief presentations or staff explanations on several items (notably the Central Technologies contract and the capital lease) before taking votes.

Ending

District leaders said routine budget, federal funding and operational contracts will allow the schools to proceed into the summer and prepare for fall operations. Several items referenced state or federal procedures — for example, the capital lease requires comptroller approval before the first payment is due.