001Welcome to the board of education's November 6, 2025 regular session meeting. Please stand as we observe a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance led by Miss Templeton. To the flag of the stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you, Miss Templeton. And Miss Henderson will be um arriving shortly. She is running just a little bit late tonight. Uh we do have a few announcements. Several board members will be attending the TSBA leadership conference and annual convention November 13th through the 16th in Nashville. And we look forward to attending those trainings and sessions. A policy review meeting is scheduled for November 21st at 10:00 a.m. in this boardroom. And just a reminder that our December work session will be held on Monday, December 1st with the
002regular session following on Thursday, December 4th. As Superintendent Risewick noted on Monday, Knox County schools will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, November 26th through the 28th. On behalf of the board, I want to wish all of their students and families and staff a blessed Thanksgiving. Um, board members, you did receive an email yesterday regarding the consent agenda item 5C13 related to an upgrade project to the small athletic field at Bluegrass Elementary School. Unfortunately, the terms of the agreement were unable to be finalized. So, that item has been withdrawn for this month. Um, also I would like to move item 9C um to just before board policies on the agenda because we do have someone from the county here to speak to that if anyone has any questions. Um, finance director Chris Codwell is here.
003So, with that, are there any other changes to the agenda? So, we have a motion and a second. All in favor? Oh, wait, wait, wait. Don't vote yet. I think we have a public forum speaker on one of these items. Is that right for the consent agenda? Oh, this is just the agenda. Okay. All in favor, say I. >> Okay. All right. Miss Cotney. >> Yes, you're right. >> Yeah. Item five, consent agenda. >> So, we have a motion and a second. And now we have a public forum speaker. Correct. >> Madam Chair, yes, we do have a public forum speaker on an item on the consent agenda, Sarah Rabby. Sarah, if you could just state your name and county residents, you'll have three minutes. >> Okay. Good evening, school board members. My name is
004Sarah Rabby. I'm a Knox County resident of district 6. I'm here to talk about items C, 7,8, and 9, which to be clear, I totally support. It is my understanding that two of the three of these contracts with music therapy providers are likely the result of eight lawsuits filed against KCS this summer. While I'm truly thankful to see this issue resolved for so many families, I am asking you whether hiring attorney to file a lawsuit is the necessary path for our daughter to receive music therapy as part of her IEP. Our daughter, now first grade, was born with NAS, fetal alcohol, and a genetic mutation that has made learning a challenge for her. After her adoption in 2022, we utilized a private provider and discovered that music therapy services were able to provide effective treatment
005and aid in her making progress towards her learning and development. So, we asked her KCS preschool for an evaluation to support her IEP goals. Her preschool team agreed to music therapy evaluation called the SIMTAP by Knox County's contracted provider. The board certified music therapist who who conducted the SIMTAP recommended music therapy services as a necessary related service to our daughter's IEP just like speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists would. However, Knox County punted the decision from preschool to kindergarten, claiming they would need time to review the findings over the summer of 2024. At the start of our meet of our daughter's kindergarten year, administrative staff came into our IEP meeting without ever meeting our child or even reading the evaluation. They asked for more time to review and said, "No, we are not providing
006this related service." Only when we pushed back did the they propose a trial period. Um they conducted the trial. The data clearly showed that music therapy was necessary service and yet again the service was denied. I even submitted a due process request form myself in hopes that the required resolution meeting could fix the situation, but KCS would not even intermediation with us and still said no. All of our story was prior to the eight lawsuits filed in June. So, we decided to wait and see if or how you, the board, might respond and we withdrew our due process. These eight families from the lawsuit this last June um filed and look at their results. Three contracts for music therapy services are before you tonight. So, this follows what we see as an established pattern. File
007a lawsuit through an attorney, and a quick settlement is likely. It is my understanding that this is exactly how the first student ever to receive music therapy in Knox County did so back in 2020. A lawsuit, a settlement, expenses paid, and the child receiving services until they aged out of KCS schools. So, is litigation the expected norm for parents? Now, I think this pattern is beyond alarming and incredibly expensive for the district and for families. As an adoptive parent, I swore before a judge to love and advocate for my child. And that means insisting that she receive a free and appropriate public education through Knox County Schools. I would ask you all to please look closely at the benefits this related service provides to students like our daughter and help us and other families access
008this benefit this benefit without resorting to legisation. Thank you, Sarah. >> Thank you. >> That concludes public forum for this topic. >> Thank you. All right. So, we have a motion and a second for the consent agenda. All in favor say I. Oh. Any opposed? Motion carries. In item 9 C that was moved before board policies is approved fund balance designation in the amount of 3,783,261 for the Coward Mill Road project. So a motion by Mr. Triplet as second by Miss Templeton. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> Item 6A approve second reading. of Knox County Board of Education policy B200 policy development and adoption as amended. >> Motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Henderson. Any discussion? >> All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion
009carries. >> 6B approved second reading of Knox County Board of Education policy I 123 academic acceleration as amended. >> Motion by Mr. Triple, a second by Miss Henderson. Discussion. All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 6 C. Approve second reading of Knox County Board of Education policy I 140 homebound instruction as amended. >> Motion by Miss Henderson, a second by Mr. Triplet. Discussion. All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 6D approve second reading of Knox County Board of Education policy I 150 gifted and talented as amended. >> Motion by Mr. Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Henderson. Discussion. All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 6E. Approve second reading of Knox County Board of Education policy I 170 extracurricular activities as amended. >>
010Motion by Mr. Triple, a second by Miss Henderson. Discussion. All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 6F. Approve second reading of Knox County Board of Education policy I222 Internet safety as amended. >> Motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Henderson. Discussion. All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 6G. Approve second reading of Knox County Board of Education Policy I 290 ESL program policy as amended. >> Motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Henderson. Discussion. All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 6H, approve second reading of Knox County Board of Education policy I 311, authorization for a grade change as amended. >> Motion by Mr. Trip Triplet, a second by Miss Henderson. Discussion. All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Six.
011I approve second reading of Knox County Board of Education policy I 340, promotion, retention, acceleration as amended. A motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Henderson. Discussion. All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 7 A. Approve a Tennessee Department of Education fiscal year 2026 public school security grant in the amount of 1,184,319.69 plus fiscal year 2025 carryover in the amount of $679,16253. Motion by Reverend Butler, a second by Miss Templeton. Discussion. All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 7B. Approve Tennessee Department of Education occupational educator scholarships in the amount of $25,200 for eligible candidates in the Knox County Schools Educator Preparation Program. A motion by Reverend Butler, a second by Miss Templeton. Discussion. All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 7 C. Approved National Endowment for
012the Arts Grant in the amount of $20,000 for staff salaries and benefits, professional development, and artist fees and supplies. A motion by Reverend Butler, a second by Miss Spike. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 7D. approved Knox County Retired Teachers Association grants in the total amount of $2,000 for Carter Elementary School, Dogwood Elementary School, Green Magnet Academy, and Northwest Middle School. >> A motion by Reverend Butler, a second by Mr. Wright. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 7E approves town of Farragate grants in the total amount of $18,000 for Farragut Primary, Farragate Intermediate, Farragate Middle, and Farragate High Schools. >> Motion by Miss Morgan, a second by Miss Spike. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 8A. Approve
013amendment to contract with Tyler Technologies Incorporated for human resources and payroll information systems at an annual cost of 293 742 for the term of December 1, 2026 through November 30th, 2029. >> Motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Templeton. Discussion. All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 8B. He approved design contract with McCarti wholesapple McCarti Incorporated in the amount of $500,775 for the Farragate Intermediate School and Farragate Middle School roof replacements. Motion by Miss Morgan and second by Miss Spite. Discussion. All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 8 C. We approve increase to design contract with Mccardi wholesapple McCarti Incorporated in the amount of $4,575 for flooring selections and plans for the new Farragut area elementary school. Motion by Miss Morgan, second by Miss Spike. Discussion. All in favor
014say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 8D. Approve increase to construction contract with Skilled Services LLC in the amount of 67,992.95 for phase three of workbased learning projects at Halls and POW high schools. Motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Henderson. Discussion. All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 9A approve 2025 2026 Tennessee investment in student achievement accountability report. >> Motion by Reverend Butler, second by Mr. Triplet. Discussion. All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 9B approved fiscal year 2026 budget line item transfers for the period of July 1st, 2025 through September 30th, 2025 in the amount of $839,327. >> Uh motion by Miss Font Ridley, a second by Reverend Butler. Discussion. All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 9D approved fund balance designation in the
015amount of $130,000 I'm sorry $130,71 for UT tower construction. A motion by Reverend Butler, second by Miss Templeton. Discussion. All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 9E approve appointment of school turnaround committee. >> Motion by Miss Henderson, a second by Mr. Triplet. discussion. All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> 9F approve proposed 2025 2026 annual action plan for Knox County Schools. >> Motion by Miss Fontno Ridley, a second by Mr. Wright. Discussion. All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. All right, moving on to public form. Mr. Right. Thank you, Madam Chair. We've got uh looks like six public forum speakers tonight. Just remind you to state your name, county of residents. You have three minutes. Uh first on the list, I've got Kate McGucken.
016Please state your name and county of residence. Hello, I am Kate McGuckin and I'm a resident of Knox County and I'm the mother of two young children and a concerned citizen who has worked in who is and a concerned citizen who has worked in various volunteer roles supporting our immigrant community in Knoxville and beyond. and I'm here to voice my opposition to House Bill 793 and to ask for your support in making it a legislative priority in 2026 to pass a resolution affirming every child's right to a public K through2 ed education regardless of documentation status. Um failing to uphold the protection established in Pllyier verse will not make these children disappear. When we deny a child the right to go to school, we're not solving a problem. We're creating one. This bill will increase
017the likelihood these children will grow up uneducated, vulnerable to exploitation and dependent on government and community services later in life. If their well-being alone doesn't move us, we should consider the economic consequences. The loss of future tax revenue, the decline in federal funding tied to enrollment along with the added cost associated with policing documentation instead of educating children. On a personal note, I met my dearest friend at the age of 14, shortly after she arrived here undocumented from Colombia. She left behind her her father, her family, and all she knew and found herself in a new country where she didn't speak the language. We recently revisited her experience and discussed what her life might have been like had she not been afforded an education. Without that opportunity, she shared that she would have struggled to
018build connections beyond her Colombian and Spanish speaking community. She might never have learned to speak English fluently or at all. She likely would have joined her mother working under the table due to facing barriers to higher paying tax contributing jobs limiting not just her own future but our shared economic growth. For her high school was everything. Today she works in the medical field serving our atrisisk immigrant community. She shared that more parents are keeping their undocumented children home out of fear and she's seeing the fallout firsthand. an increase in teenage pregnancies and cases where vulnerable vulnerable girls are being exploited, leaving families who are powerless to seek justice. When children are kept out of school, they spend more time unsupervised in or in adult environments working low-paying jobs where they're exposed to drugs, sex, and
019alcohol. This comes with harmful consequences for both these children and our broader community. We should do everything in our power to protect children from having to grow up too quickly, from being trapped by the weight of circumstances they did not create. And let's not hold them responsible for the decision decisions of adults. Instead, let's continue to focus on giving them the tools to build something better by upholding the right to education for all. Thank you. [applause] >> Thank you, Kate. Next is Candace Manister. Candace Bannister, Knox County resident. To pick up where I left off last month, KCS had been made aware of the inappropriate behaviors of the very admin who bullied and abused our son from his previous school. That staff put together a binder full of their concerns. You had this information, yet
020you simply moved him to a new building, giving him access to our son. This admin did not undergo training to correct the issues raised. He was not put on leave. He was not investigated. He was not held accountable. Nor was he reinstated as an AP with a seasoned admin for retraining. He was simply moved from one building to another with no corrective action. This is on you on a system which failed to do its due diligence. And in doing nothing, you put my child in the line of this admin's documented bullying and abusive behavior. When an admin at Harden Valley Academy failed to call emergency services after a contract custodian turned on gas in the chemistry lab, action was taken. He did not purposely put his students in danger. He likely failed to follow a
021policy in an emergency situation, but his intent was never to cause harm to anyone. Still, he was put on paid leave for six months while an investigation took place. He was dropped back to an AP and sent to work with a seasoned admin who apparently is your go-to guy. I believe all of us feel the fact that the board chair at that time had children in the Harden Valley Theater played an important role in your immediate and thorough actions following that very a frightening event. And honestly, good for the board chair to encourage appropriate action if that's what she did. And good for you for doing the right thing. Too bad for Will. His mom was just a second grade teacher and not on the school board. Let's imagine after that contract custodian turned on
022the gas at HVA, you found out there had been safety concerns regarding him and other places he had worked that had been reported to the contract company. Let's just say his behavior had been reported 43 times in writing, but the company had decided not to initiate an investigation on him, yet still sent him to that school knowing what he had been what had been reported to them. Let's say as recently as a year and a half ago, there were still people who wanted the leadership to know some things about him, but the leadership of the contract company didn't want to listen and even said that person had a clean record. Thank God no one was hurt that day at Harden Valley because it could have been disastrous and you did your due diligence. However, in
023our high school under our admin, six students died by suicide and you have done nothing. You finally moved him downtown after the sixth student died, but that's it. You waited five years, gave him a very prominent leadership position and refused to even hear what eight people still wanted you to know. You were to you were told that the metaphorical gas valve was wide open before he came to Farragate and you didn't even attempt to turn the handle to the off position. You will bear the ramifications of your negligence and lack of responsibility for the rest of your lives. My family and I will endure the loss of our son for the rest of ours. When you sit down for your Thanksgiving dinner in a couple of weeks, please remember that our family and five others
024will have an empty chair again this year. Thank you. Thank you, Candace. Next is Betsy Hobkerk. Not here. Next is Juliana Ponte. So that that's the end of Or do we have another one? >> Oh, Lady Tiara Wilson, >> please state your name and county resident. She'll have three minutes. >> Tier Lady Wilson, Knox County. I'm here to speak to you all in concerns with abuse of power and lack of transparency by way of Knox County school employees whose priority is to be in control. I'm here specifically to talk about the actions of Miss Rakia Foster, an Austinise freshman academy principal, concerning her professionalism and lack of transparency around Title One and homecoming funds. Over the past four years, I have inquired and asked to be a part of parental peer council groups, but never
025was formally invited to these meetings, nor was it publicized to the parents within the school. Only this year was the first time that we actually had a meeting that was publicized concerning the budget of our Title One funds at Austin East. However, it was scheduled during school hours, 2:30 to be exact, and it was less than a week's notice. I've been concerned, other parents have been concerned. Austin East community has asked, "Where is the money?" Miss Foster refuses to give the results when it comes to homecoming. And that is very imperative because she expects us to trust her. But when we go to her asking her about the results, she refuses to talk to us. All schools who raise money around homecoming need to disclose the amount of money that is raised by our children
026and the community. plus the fact that the fees for Austin East Homecoming has tripled over the past few years. When is it that our community stops being exploited? There also is a need for investigation under Miss Rakia Foster about her disciplinary actions, especially when Knox County Schools has a protocol on how you are to properly uh discipline children, which means that you involve the parents. I am also here because we need checks and balances because of people like Rakia Foster who are whose primary focus is abuse of power. What she does is then goes and takes out orders of protection or in my case because I did a Facebook post now I'm being charged for harassment. How is it that you can have people who are in leadership but they cannot talk to parents and
027then we have no choice but to go onto the internet to let our voices be known. Then we get harassed. Then we're harassing. And so I come before you all to say, hey, if you are going to have people in leadership, make sure that the leaders actually do what they're supposed to do and quit abusing their power and misusing our children and exploiting us. Because in Austin East, so many of us feel like we should know how much money is being raised. If I give money to a nonprofit, you know what I get back? A letter and a thank you and a result of how much money is being raised. So I ask that you all would definitely investigate this. Thank you. Thank you, Tiara. Next is Ellen Monroe. Ellen, please state your name and
028county of residential at three minutes. >> Good evening. My name is Ellen Monroe and I live in Knox County within District 8. I am a speech language pathologist in Knox County Schools um and was honored to be the elementary district teacher of the year this past school year. I come from a family of educators and school administrators who have chosen this career path because they believe in the power and importance of education. I'm here tonight as an advocate for my students and families I serve and because I firmly believe in the 14th amendment that protects access to public education and ensures states cannot deny education based on discriminatory reasons including documentation status. At my school every day we are experiencing the effects of the fear immigrant families are facing. We see firsthand the toll that
029this is taking on our immigrant students, their families, their teachers, and their friends, which impacts all kids readiness to learn in our classrooms. We have students who don't attend school because they are afraid, students who are displaced um due to parents being taken during routine check-ins, and students who have disabilities who have a difficult time receiving their services due to these issues. All of this leads to chronic absenteeism, academic decline, and increased mental health concerns, which will have a massive impact on children's academic careers and growth as human beings. Although the fear and anxiety are heightened, my colleagues and I also get to witness firsthand the beauty of diversity as children with different backgrounds, skin tones, languages, and neurode divergence communicate, play, and learn together in a safe space every day. People who reside in
030Knox County pay the same amount of taxes regardless of their documentation status, which means that everyone is contributing to fund our public schools. I trust and urge that the board will do the right thing for all of our students and commit to your oath of placing the interests of children above all others in every decision that you make. You can do this by passing a legislative priority and resolution that takes a firm stance against Tennessee House Bill 793 and similar bills that permit discrimination against children based on their immigration status. By doing this, you will also be upholding our district vision to be the cornerstone of education in Knox County, empowering students to grow their talents, strength, and skills to build a stronger community. We all know that an educated community is a stronger community.
031Thank you. I know Betsy is also maybe Betsy is here now if she's she got stuck in traffic. Thank you. >> Thank you, Ellen. Right. I'll circle back around. Betsy Hopkerk Betsy, please state your name and county of residents. You'll have three minutes. >> Okay. Thanks. Um I'm in Knox County. I live in South Knoxville and teach at South Knoxville Elementary right now. Thank you. took a little longer to clean up the art room than usual. Um, so I would uh I would like Knox County Board of Education to pass a resolution and a legislative priority that takes a clear, firm, and unamb ambiguous stance against Tennessee HB793 and similar bills that permit discrimination against children based on immigration status. I think the school board would be sending a powerful message to students and families
032in Knox County. And you'd be modeling something really important for our children. The threats of immigration, detention, or deportation invoke fear, stress, and trauma that contribute to absenteeism and drops in achievement and classmates. Uh it's disturbing when a fellow student disappears and they don't know where they've gone. A priority addressing local control is important, but in this case, I think it's too vague. I think this issue is different. This isn't teacher evaluation or teacher or student testing. This is about excluding a whole group of children from public schools. I was recently looking through the KCS website and came across the office of school culture page where I found this quote. When we focus on attent attention on social and emotional well-being of every student and adult, actively valuing each individual and looking for ways to
033include all voices in the success of a school, powerful effects ensue, fewer discipline problems, improve student motivation, and increase student academic performance. I personally have benefited quite a bit my teaching practice from the school or from the office of school culture over the years. I've seen the office grow and become more effective and their attention to traumainformed teaching practices, restorative practices, and cultural responsiveness have helped me out in my classrooms. So it makes me think why invest in the good work of school culture but at the same time not take a firm stand against any similar legislation such as Tennessee or HB793 that permits discrimination against children based on immigrant status. So I urge you to continue developing this priority. I was here on Monday and I was really glad to hear the discussion and
034the struggle and and the conversation and um that you decided you'd you'd be voting on it December 1st and I or you it' be on the agenda and I urge you to vote on it by December 4th to give yourselves time to speak with legislators about it. Um guess I have other things but that's that's it. Thank you. Thank you, Betsy. [applause] >> Madam Chair, that concludes public forum. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Wright. With that, we are ajourned.