Tipton County board approves student representative pilot, vendor agreements and $1.08 million federal RUS award

The Tipton County Schools Board of Education voted to create a student board representative pilot and approved a series of contracts and grant actions at its regular meeting.

The board approved policy 1101.1021 to pilot a nonvoting student board representative, passed amendments to a professional services agreement with A2H Inc. for procurement of furniture, fixtures and equipment for the new Covington Elementary and Covington Middle School projects, authorized an agreement with the University of Tennessee to provide preschool inclusion services funded from an IDEA preschool grant, and accepted a Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Distance Learning and Telemedicine award of $1,077,232 that requires a 15% local match.

Board members said the student representative will be a pilot arrangement intended to bring student input into discussions; the policy language and the selection process were described as a “toe in the water” pilot the board will evaluate and may expand later. The board discussed options for selecting a representative (principal nomination or a democratic selection at the school level) and suggested the pilot could test one representative from a chair’s district before expanding.

On procurement, the board approved amendments to A2H’s scope for FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment) procurement for the two Covington projects. Board members discussed funding: the district will use insurance contents-replacement proceeds that previously moved to fund balance; A2H’s fee for the work was discussed in the meeting as $22,000 for each school’s procurement phase. Board members said any upgrades beyond replacement cost would be paid by the district.

The board also authorized an agreement with the University of Tennessee’s Center for Literacy Education and Preschool Improvement to provide services intended to increase inclusive preschool opportunities and improve preschool IEP implementation. The contract’s total cost of services was stated in the meeting as $50,000, and board members confirmed those funds are budgeted in the district’s FY25 IDEA Partnership for Systemic Change Preschool Grant.

Superintendent and staff reported that the district was awarded $1,077,232 from USDA’s Rural Utilities Service Distance Learning and Telemedicine Loan and Grant Program (RUS). The award requires a 15% match of $140,510, leaving an expected federal-funded portion the board reported as $936,722. Board members said the district intends to use TISA outcomes funding toward the local match rather than fund balance. The RUS funds are restricted to distance-learning and telemedicine infrastructure and do not permit purchase of student devices, the staff said; the board asked staff to post a more detailed list of planned purchases tied to the grant.

All motions on these items were recorded by voice vote as passing. Board members who moved or seconded each motion are recorded in the meeting minutes and in the actions list below. The board asked staff to return with follow-up details about vendor selection processes, invoice submittals to insurers, and the specific equipment and schools assigned under the RUS award.

Votes at a glance

- Policy 1101.1021, Student board representative (pilot): Motion by Mister Jenkins; second by Mister Gill. Voice vote: all in favor; motion passed. Discussion before the vote addressed selection method and whether the representative would shadow board members or meet with students in their home district.

- Brighton Softball Booster Club recognition as a school support organization: Motion by Mister Jenkins; second by Mister Gray. Voice vote: all in favor; motion passed.

- Amendments to A2H professional services agreement (FF&E procurement for Covington Elementary and Covington Middle): Motion by Mister Edwards; second by Mister Jenkins. Voice vote: all in favor; motion passed. Staff stated A2H fees discussed as $22,000 per school and that content-replacement insurance funds will be used to pay for FF&E purchases when procured.

- Agreement with University of Tennessee for preschool inclusion services (funded from FY25 IDEA Preschool Grant): Motion by Mister Jenkins; second by Mister Edwards. Voice vote: all in favor; motion passed. Meeting discussion identified the contract amount as $50,000 and confirmed funding is budgeted in ePlan under the IDEA systemic preschool grant.

- Execution of USDA RUS Distance Learning and Telemedicine award ($1,077,232) and related match: Motion by Mister Jenkins; second by Mister Gray. Voice vote: all in favor; motion passed. Meeting discussion set the required local match at 15% ($140,510) and staff said the match is planned from TISA outcomes funding.

What the board asked staff to do next

Board members requested: a written schedule of FF&E procurement tied to insurer inventory and Matterport scans; documentation to be shared with insurance when invoices exceed initial estimates; an itemized list of equipment and school assignments for the RUS award; and follow-up on how the student representative will be selected and whether the pilot should be limited to one chair’s district before expansion.

The board’s actions move procurement and grant-execution steps forward. Several items were described as funded in existing budget lines or grants; the district will return with implementation details and invoices for the board’s review.