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Corrective action plan recommended for Carter County Online Academy after infrastructure and attendance concerns
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Summary
Carter County told the panel rapid enrollment growth after severe storm damage strained the virtual academy’s infrastructure; the committee recommended a corrective action plan to address infrastructure, attendance definition and vendor implementation.
Carter County Director Brandon Carpenter told the committee that Hurricane Helene damaged roads and housing across the county, nearly doubling the Carter County Online Academy’s enrollment and creating an influx of students with acute needs. "Our enrollment went from about 104 to 195," he said, and district leaders said Internet access and transportation challenges forced many families to seek virtual options.
The district outlined five strategic focus areas — infrastructure, parent involvement, data‑driven leadership, academic rigor and budgeting — and said it will centralize a support site (former administrative office) to improve family relationships and in‑person benchmark testing. Officials also described plans to expand an Edmentum curriculum platform K–12 after positive k–3 feedback, and to pair that platform with district teachers rather than outsourcing instruction.
Committee members questioned how attendance and daily participation are defined for virtual students and required clearer daily verification; the panel recommended a corrective action plan so the state and district can formalize attendance, monitoring and supports.
