Board hears proposal to use outcomes funds for one-time employee bonuses; TISA teacher bonus resolution to be placed on Thursday agenda

District finance staff presented a draft distribution plan for the district's outcomes funds and discussed how the newly available dollars could be used either as one-time bonuses or to offset recurring pay increases.

Miss Bray, the district staff member who prepared the calculations, told the board that under the draft plan "Every employee full time would get $604 and then anybody that's part time, basically, would get half." She said that approach would mirror earlier one-time bonuses the district issued under ESSER funding.

Nut graf: Board members debated whether to pay the funds as a one-time bonus this year or to reserve the money to help fund salary increases in future budgets; board members were also briefed on a state teacher-bonus law that requires a local resolution.

Board discussion focused on budget implications and equity across employee groups. Members noted the payment would be a one-time distribution unless the board chose to use outcomes money annually for raises; Miss Bray emphasized that a recurring pay increase would need continuous funding in future budgets. The board discussed whether outcomes money could be applied to pay raises required by the state (TISA) and whether doing so would create a permanent budget obligation.

Separately, the superintendent's office flagged a state-level teacher bonus under Tennessee law. The board was told that the state requires local school boards to pass a resolution to accept and distribute a $2,000 certified-teacher bonus tied to the state program; the item will be placed on the board's Thursday agenda for formal action.

Ending: No formal vote on the outcomes-distribution method occurred at the work session; staff said they would provide the outcomes rules and the TISA guidance to board members and return with formal recommendation(s) on the Thursday agenda.