Montgomery County outlines expansion of Spanish immersion, career labs and new entrepreneurship hub

Dr. Dana Pain and Dr. Becky Padgett presented the district’s Goal 3 strategic plan, describing existing and new programs intended to broaden students’ pathways from elementary through high school.

"Goal 3 is to continue implementing innovative academic programming across the district," Pain said, detailing Spanish immersion that launched in 2018–19 and now serves students up to middle school; she said two elementary schools (including Barksdale Elementary) support the immersion cohorts and middle‑school students receive social studies and science instruction in Spanish.

Pain described Paxton career labs at each of the district’s eight middle schools as hands‑on exploration spaces that connect to high‑school CTE pathways. She noted increases in dual enrollment and Advanced Placement participation and named local postsecondary partners, including Austin Peay State University and Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville.

The presentation highlighted a CDL pilot for seniors: 14 students began in a cohort that is grant funded and provides no‑cost certification and a nine‑week classroom block plus a nine‑week internship. Pain said the Jan. 6 cutoff for eligibility reflects the state rule that students must be 18 to obtain a permit; students had two weeks after Jan. 6 to secure permits before the program deadline.

Looking ahead, Pain said the district will launch Founders Inc, an entrepreneurship program to be housed at the Burt Innovation Center using innovative‑school‑model grant dollars to renovate four dedicated spaces for makers, marketing/media, prototyping and a Shark Tank–style presentation area. The program will serve 11th and 12th graders who will spend one class period at Founders Inc and the remainder of the day at their home high school.

Board members asked how programs and industry partnerships are identified; Pain said both occur: some partners approach the district and the district convenes advisory committees and workforce partners to shape offerings. The presenters said certification fees are covered through district general funds and Perkins grant dollars.

The presentation was informational and intended to guide program expansion and partnership engagement; no formal board action was recorded in the transcript.