Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Out Of School Suspension topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners approve $70,000 to launch countywide out-of-school suspension program
Summary
The Franklin County commissioners approved $70,000 plus $10,000 for curriculum licensing to launch a countywide out-of-school suspension program run by Staying Alive and court services, intended to keep suspended students academically engaged and provide interventions.
The Franklin County Board of Commissioners voted to fund a new countywide out-of-school suspension program, approving a $70,000 start-up request and $10,000 for a licensed curriculum platform.
Bethany Lures, of the Staying Alive coalition, presented the plan with Amanda Tebbe of court services and said the program will operate through Franklin County Court Services and Staying Alive to serve students referred by Franklin County School Corporation and Batesville Community School Corporation. "Every student who is referred to the out of school suspension program will continue completing their school assignments," Lures said, describing classroom-equivalent academic work plus evidence-based prevention programming such as alcohol and vaping prevention, conflict resolution and truancy intervention. Lures said the partners expect Batesville to begin referrals this fall.
Commissioner John Heiss moved to approve the funding request; Commissioner Jerry Wendell seconded and the motion carried unanimously. The presenters said opioid settlement funds will cover the launch year and that the long-term plan is to seek federal and state grants and private foundation support. Staying Alive will hire a youth prevention and intervention specialist to supervise students during the school day and deliver programming.
The board approved the licensing request for the curriculum platform (listed at $10,000) to provide a database of student progress, which the presenters described as necessary for tracking outcomes. Commissioners did not specify implementation deadlines; staff follow-up was left to the involved agencies.
