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Board hears detailed update on William Randolph alternative programs; staff ask for more CTE, nursing support
Summary
School leaders told the Asheville City Schools board that the William Randolph campus — home to the ECA high‑school alternative program and Cougar Academy middle‑school program — is growing in enrollment and attendance but faces data, staffing and service‑delivery challenges; presenters asked the board to consider whether the campus should have its own school number and requested more CTE offerings and a nurse.
Carrie Buchanan and assistant principal Sybil Jefferson presented a comprehensive update on programming at the William Randolph campus, which currently houses two distinct programs: ECA (a high‑school alternative program) and Cougar Academy (a middle‑school alternative program). ECA has about 49 students this semester and Cougar Academy about six, the presenters said. Buchanan said the programs are staffed with core teachers, a CTE teacher, a credit‑recovery staff member and student supports, and that enrollment is growing.
Buchanan highlighted program demographics and supports: she said ECA’s current student body is roughly 58 percent African American, 8 percent white, 12 percent multiracial, 10 percent Latinx and 10 percent Pacific Islander/Micronesian. She told the board the program has strengthened community partnerships, offers internships and work‑based learning through its CTE program, and is working with AB Tech on pathways that could help students stay on track and earn post‑secondary credits or certificates.
On attendance and retention, presenters said program attendance is higher than last year — about "85 to 90 percent" on many days — and they credited consistent outreach to families and a clear plan of work for each student. One student testimonial played for the board said, "William Randolph helped me get my grades up," and other students described the campus as a place that helped them graduate early or reconnect with learning.
A central discussion point was whether William Randolph should remain a program or be assigned its own school number. Buchanan said staying a program makes data management and accountability harder because students are technically enrolled under Asheville High, SELSA or Asheville Middle and the program must maintain separate tracking; having a school number would simplify reporting and entitlements but triggers state policy thresholds (presenters cited a state rule that factors in final ADM and/or 7 or more state‑allocated FTEs when determining principal pay and related administrative entitlements). The presenters asked the board to weigh tradeoffs around data access, accountability, staffing and resource allocation.
Board members pressed on teacher retention and supports. Buchanan acknowledged three teacher departures last year but said two of the three new hires were beginning teachers who applied specifically to work at William Randolph. She described onboarding, regular staff check‑ins and "crew" time as retention strategies. Board members also asked about family engagement; Buchanan said the program required parent‑teacher meetings at the start of the year, is planning a parent night to train families on ParentSquare and Infinite Campus, and uses direct, individualized outreach so parents understand students’ progress.
Staff and board members discussed service gaps tied to program status. Buchanan and another staff speaker said the program has asked about having EpiPens and nursing coverage; one board member and a staff speaker noted that being classified as a program rather than a school has complicated access to some on‑site resources and emergency medical supplies. Board members suggested further coordination with central office student services and the district nurse program.
Buchanan and Jefferson closed by inviting board members to visit William Randolph and by reiterating two program requests: additional CTE course availability on campus to create certificate pathways for students, and dedicated on‑site nursing support for students with health needs. The presenters said they would continue work with AB Tech and with student services to refine referral processes and to quantify the resource implications of becoming a school versus remaining a program.
The board did not take a formal vote on a status change; presenters were asked to return with additional information as part of ongoing district planning.
