Board debates NTI days; member urges elimination, board agrees to survey and continues NTI policy

A contentious discussion over non‑traditional instruction (NTI) days occupied a substantial portion of the Marion County Board of Education meeting, with at least one board member urging the board to eliminate NTI and others calling for data and community input.

One board member said, “I would love to see us do away with NTI days,” arguing that virtual instruction is an inferior product for many students and pointing to missed services for a daughter with special needs. Other board members agreed NTI is not comparable to in‑person instruction but noted improvements in implementation and suggested the district use polling or surveys and analyze outcome data before making a structural change.

Board members discussed operational tradeoffs, including calendar impacts and staff recruitment concerns. A participant noted the district used seven NTI days this year and compared that to six snow days, and another urged teacher input and family feedback about effectiveness.

Ultimately the board approved continuation of the phase four NTI non‑traditional instruction plan as presented, while directing staff to gauge community sentiment and examine data from NTI days to inform future calendar or policy decisions. As one board member put it when the group discussed next steps, “We can do a survey. That’s not a problem.”

The meeting record shows both strong opposition and broad concerns about NTI’s impact on learning and services; the board’s action preserves the NTI option while creating an avenue for broader community input and further review.