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Trustee to propose amendment to budget for inclusive playground upgrades; staff to produce fiscal note
Summary
Board member Mr. King said he will propose a budget amendment next week to allocate funds for inclusive playgrounds to meet accessibility needs raised by parents and community members. Staff said they will prepare a fiscal note; trustees and staff warned planning and procurement will take longer than the immediate budget timetable.
A Sumner County Schools trustee told colleagues on May 13 he plans to propose an amendment to the district budget next week to allocate funds for inclusive playground upgrades at elementary schools.
Board member Mr. King said several playgrounds lack paved accessible approaches or compatible surfacing and that the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 obligates recipients of federal funds to avoid denying the benefits of programs to people with disabilities. He said he wants the board to "explore and possibly allocate some funds" and to include a fiscal note with the amendment.
District staff acknowledged the issue and said work was already underway to evaluate playground accessibility; they also noted capital planning, procurement timelines and available grant opportunities should be factored into any plan. Miss Dan (Julie Daniel), who spoke about special education supports, said staff would draft a report and that some grant searches and planning would take longer than six weeks.
Board members and staff flagged two constraints: (1) the district must present a budget schedule and packet to the county and state in coming months, so any funding allocation in next week's vote would likely be a set-aside or initial appropriation rather than a construction contract award; and (2) designing inclusive playgrounds to meet accessibility standards typically requires site surveys and planning, which take longer than a single meeting cycle.
Why it matters: Trustees said inclusive playgrounds affect students with wheelchairs and other mobility challenges and argued the upgrades would benefit broader school communities who use campus playgrounds outside regular school hours.
Outcome: Mr. King said he will bring an amendment with a fiscal note at the board's next meeting. Staff asked the board for a realistic timeline, and trustees agreed to return the item with a dollar figure and plan for phased implementation.
Ending
The board did not vote on the proposal at the May 13 study session. Trustees asked staff to research grants, cost estimates and procurement options and to return with a fiscal note at the next meeting.
