Jefferson County Schools staff present agreement renewals that bar gender‑affirming care in school buildings

Jefferson County Schools staff said the district will present agreement renewals at the next business session that include a clause barring contractors from providing gender‑affirming care to students in school buildings and clarified how background checks for contracted providers are handled.

The staff member presenting the package said the proposed contracts cover July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, and include an added sentence that “that contract will not provide gender affirming care support to students within Jefferson County school buildings.” The staff member said what was presented to the board is what will be proposed for a vote at the next business meeting.

Why it matters: the clause is a policy decision that would limit the scope of services contractors may provide on district property and was flagged during the work session as part of routine agreement renewals. Board members pressed staff on operational details—how the district confirms contractors’ background checks, whether nonemployee contact information is kept at schools, and what parents may request about providers’ credentials.

District staff outlined the existing practice: contractor agencies perform the required background checks, ensure employees meet the district’s stated requirements, and vouch to the district that staff are employable. The staff member cited Tennessee Code 49‑513 while explaining background‑check expectations and said the district does not maintain files of nonemployee personal information at individual schools, because companies, not the district, employ those people.

Board members asked whether the district could keep basic contact or credential information at the school so principals could identify who is working with students if an incident occurs. The staff member said principals generally know which provider is assigned to their school and that credential or resume‑type information could be shared on request, but that raw background‑check reports are confidential and are not disclosed outside a limited group of staff by law.

Next steps: the staff member said the agreement renewals package—with the added clause—will be proposed at the upcoming business session; the board did not vote during the work session.

Quotes: “That contract will not provide gender affirming care support to students within Jefferson County school buildings,” the staff member said when describing the clause to the board. On disclosure of background‑check records, the staff member said, “We don't share background checks…By law, we're to protect that information.”

The board also discussed whether agencies should require individual signatures from staff or if agency signatures are sufficient; staff said agencies sign on behalf of employees and the district treats that arrangement similarly to other vendor relationships.