Elizabethton board approves tutoring positions funded by state and grant dollars
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Summary
The Elizabethton Board of Education approved two full‑time and five part‑time tutoring assistant positions funded by Title I and tutoring grants to expand K–5 and middle‑school literacy and math support for the remainder of the 2025–26 school year.
The Elizabethton Board of Education voted to create two full‑time tutoring assistant positions and five part‑time positions funded by a combination of Title I and tutoring integration grants, board members said at their February meeting.
Director Van Huss and Dr. Newman told the board the moves are intended to meet recent changes in state law and expand services for students who need extra instruction. "It provides us with, $500 per student that is required to receive tutoring. So we received about $15,000," Dr. Newman said, describing one early‑literacy grant that targets students retained in kindergarten through third grade.
Nut Graf: The board said the funding package pairs approximately $15,000 allocated under the early‑literacy tutoring formula with a separate Innovation Tutoring grant of $74,600 to add capacity for both ELA and math. District officials said the grants will fund additional tutors scheduled in the master schedule, not as after‑school programs, and that the grants are renewable through annual applications.
Dr. Newman outlined how the grants would be used: the early‑literacy funds provide roughly $500 per qualifying student, covering lead and supporting tutors; the Innovation Tutoring grant will add one tutor at each elementary and two tutors at the middle school for targeted ELA and math instruction. Officials described expected capacity increases — for elementary ELA an estimated 54 more students and 36 more students in math at certain schools — and noted tutors will work under a 1:3 ratio for targeted interventions.
Board members asked questions about scheduling and the grants' renewal. Dr. Newman said the tutoring is built into the daily master schedule and is not pulled from tier‑1 instruction. "That's our goal, was to help our students to move towards proficiency," she said.
The board motion to create the positions was moved and seconded and carried by voice vote; board members answered "aye" and no opposition was recorded. The action applies for the remainder of the 2025–26 school year, with continuation contingent on future grant renewals.
The board also discussed administrative details including which schools would convert part‑time Title I positions to full time and the district's plan to monitor program outcomes.