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Oak Ridge approves new high‑school courses, adds nuclear‑energy and innovations pathway
Summary
The Oak Ridge Board approved FY‑26 new high‑school course requests, including electives in musical theater and international film and a new Career and Technical Education pathway in nuclear energy; board members discussed dual‑enrollment options and industry credentials.
The Oak Ridge Board of Education on Jan. 27 approved a slate of new high‑school courses for the 2025‑26 year and authorized the addition of a Career and Technical Education pathway titled Nuclear Energy and Innovations.
Dr. Williams, who presented the proposal, said the course request process starts with high‑school staff and aims to balance student interest with available scheduling and department capacity. "We're excited to introduce a new pathway at Oak Ridge High School, which is the nuclear energy and innovations pathway," Dr. Williams said, noting the district will add related CTE courses to support the pathway.
Board members asked about college partnerships and credentialing. Board member Holly Webb asked whether Pellissippi State Community College could provide dual‑enrollment credit; Dr. Williams said the district maintains dual‑enrollment agreements with institutions including Roane State and Tennessee Tech and that Pellissippi follows the same agreement process. "We work with whomever is the point of contact for that particular course of study at the college level, and then we sign an agreement between our organization and theirs," Dr. Williams said.
A board member asked how many students must enroll for a course to run; a district official said 12 students is the typical threshold but cautioned that that number does not guarantee a class will be offered because scheduling and overall course demand also factor into the decision.
The presentation included workforce linkage planning: the district reported coordination with industry partners and noted a potential industry credential in electrical work connected to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). A member of the public, Anne Toth, suggested the district also contact the Tennessee Valley Authority's education‑pathways team and offered to provide a contact at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant.
The board approved the new course requests by voice vote. The motion was made by Ms. Webb and seconded by Ms. Craven; the motion passed unanimously.
The approved packet includes elective offerings in performing arts and languages as well as the new CTE pathway; district staff said they will pursue dual‑enrollment agreements and industry credential approvals as the courses are finalized.
