District reports progress on 'Opportunity 2030' student supports and discipline targets
Summary
Chief of student supports Jasmine Fernandez told the board the Opportunity 2030 initiative met its primary objective reducing students with multiple exclusionary infractions and identified 1,007 children eligible for McKinney‑Vento services; the presentation covered RTI2‑B, professional development and bullying‑response improvements.
Jasmine Fernandez, chief of student supports, presented the Hamilton County Schools update on Opportunity 2030 on Dec. 21, focusing on the district’s 'Every Student Belongs' commitments and measurable progress in student well‑being.
Fernandez reported the district met its primary objective of reducing the percentage of students with more than one exclusionary discipline infraction, citing a 2.6 percent target for grades K–5 that the district met and stronger than targeted results for grades 6–12. She said the district still sees disparities for some groups — for example, economically disadvantaged K–5 students had a 7.2 percent rate of multiple infractions in 2023–24, a 2 percentage‑point improvement from 5.2 percent the prior year, but still above the district’s 4.2 percent target.
Fernandez outlined RTI2‑B (Response to Instruction and Intervention for behavior) as an evidence‑based framework for teaching and enforcing appropriate behaviors across tiers; student support coaches and school counselors help implement tiered strategies and provide classroom‑level coaching. She also described stronger and more consistent tracking of bullying incidents and follow‑up safety plans integrated into PowerSchool.
The presentation noted 1,007 children have been identified as eligible for McKinney‑Vento services and described supports the district has provided through cross‑departmental partnerships, including emergency assistance and an end‑of‑school‑year homelessness pilot. Fernandez thanked school social workers and student support staff and said additional professional learning, including play‑therapy training for social workers, will continue in February.
Board members asked how RTI2‑B lessons are delivered and whether outside vendors are contracted. Fernandez said lesson frequency and delivery vary by school (advisory periods, house systems or morning circles), much of the core content was developed in‑house, and some schools supplement with counselor or coach support. The district will continue monitoring outcomes and recommended next steps through quarterly reporting.
