[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,75,87],{"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6640640,"mediaKeyId","2552000-aedb3551fde0c6ee327a85524d6b55b0","parentId",2552000,"title","Board approves multiple contracts, capital projects, calendar changes and supplemental pay recommendations","audioSeconds",2425,"startMs",3385000,"endMs",5810000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2552000-aedb3551fde0c6ee327a85524d6b55b0&start=3385&end=5810","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2552000-aedb3551fde0c6ee327a85524d6b55b0/thumbnail_3385000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6640640/Tennessee/Board-approves-multiple-contracts-capital-projects-calendar-changes-and-supplemental-pay-recommendations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6640640-b5fce9d6338588474ee7672d8d58b874/orig.mp4?Expires=1770175957&Signature=k~ObvEFda4UJKlwkFm9AJCNWX8ZHb8bF9CPo1abs2obeu0unPpk~gl~Gh3iamBcHqmHlEE6tTE6zdYGMf3~WarXFrH8gn1WyIGnb24763oTQxDuN0eecpILIubGU03Z3EgSLL~e9gj954bOSw5EQ9cvcAzPmAdo802NNUIN0hUBNJcv7SeSbWfvF1z-sPgaXpiML4rGG8JK~Oa8CjopZp5kTIFCBOqISJmTdlBT-SmRUE6edxpE6kAX5BEKSiltal0QHKhoN-IsP5K7Osx8LVZjDvV5B23qrE-Tl4Z39T-uu9Yj~e2q9IHS936liTjxewYqWv9jZqcknSX8km7PE-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Davidson County Schools","date","2025-03-03T00:00:00Z","article","The Davidson County Board of Education on March 3 voted to approve a package of contracts, capital purchases, calendar revisions and personnel-pay parameters during a meeting that included several routine consent items and public comment.

Key approvals included: Reality Works equipment purchases for Ledford High School’s career and technical agriculture program; contracts for contracted special-education staffing (Emergis and Soliant Health) and a memorandum permitting Alight Behavioral Therapy to provide ABA services in schools; capital projects including replacement of the Davis-Townsend Elementary School roof and purchase of two maintenance vans; an E-rate-funded Wi‑Fi upgrade for the district’s access points; multiple school trip approvals; and revisions to school calendars due to recent inclement weather. Board members also adopted criteria for the distribution of state teacher-supplement funds under House Bill 259 and approved a local supplement to include the district’s 18 pre-kindergarten teachers, at a local cost of $37,997.83.

Most motions were approved by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

Votes at a glance

- Reality Works (CTE) purchase — Motion: approve purchase of hands-on agriculture learning tools for Ledford High School using CTE grant funds; amount: $44,397.51; outcome: approved.

- Emergis Healthcare Staffing service agreement — Motion: approve service agreement to identify EC teacher and part-time speech-language pathologist; cost not to exceed $78,000; funding: Medicaid exceptional-children funds; outcome: approved.

- Soliant Health service agreement — Motion: approve service agreement for an EC teacher at West Davidson High School; cost not to exceed $37,000; funding: Medicaid; outcome: approved.

- Alight Behavioral Therapy MOU — Motion: approve memorandum to allow privately contracted ABA providers to deliver services in schools; outcome: approved.

- E-rate Wi‑Fi infrastructure replacement (Encore Technology Group) — Motion: approve replacement of 1,107 access points and one switch; total cost: $1,679,583.26; funding: USAC (80%) and North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (20%); outcome: approved.

- Davis-Townsend Elementary roof replacement (LaFave Construction) — Motion: approve roof replacement bid; amount: $1,202,700; funding: capital outlay and state lottery funds; outcome: approved.

- Purchase of two Ford commercial cutaway vans for Maintenance Department — Motion: approve purchase on state contract; cost: $131,526.40; funding: local capital outlay; outcome: approved.

- Reality Works CTE equipment (Ledford High School) — Motion: approve purchase of equipment paid with CTE Agriculture Education Program grant funds; amount: $44,397.51; outcome: approved.

- School trips and extracurricular travel — Motions: approve North Davidson High School Air Force Junior ROTC trip to Washington, D.C.; North Davidson baseball trip to South Brunswick High School Easter tournament; North Davidson cheer camp trip to NCA camp at NC State; outcome: approved.

- Calendar revisions for inclement weather — Motions: approve changes to the 2024–25 traditional school calendar and Davidson Early College/Yadkin Valley Regional Career Academy calendars (convert snow days to remote instruction or annual leave, add optional teacher workdays); outcome: approved.

- Teacher supplement (House Bill 259) criteria and local pre-K supplement — Motion: approve state allotment distribution criteria for eligible certified instructional support (state funds totaling $2,572,600) and to use $37,997.83 in local funds to provide the same supplement to 18 district pre-K teachers; outcome: approved.

- Memorandum of Understanding with Davidson County Department of Social Services — Motion: approve MOU regarding foster-care student supports and best-interest-determination meetings; outcome: approved.

Most motions were presented by district staff during the consent and operations sections; none of the items above prompted recorded roll-call tallies in the transcript. Staff noted funding sources for each purchase or contract when presented to the board and said some purchases use external grant or state funds to reduce local-cost impact.

Board members asked routine clarifying questions on vendor selection, funding sources and scheduling for installation or receipt of equipment.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOE Meeting 3-3-25 First Open Session","oneSentenceSummary","At its March 3 meeting the Davidson County Board of Education approved a series of vendor contracts, facility projects, school trips, calendar revisions, and parameters for a state teacher supplement and a local pre-kindergarten supplement.","taxTitle","Davidson County, School Districts, Tennessee","taxId",13509,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_32":76,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":77,"_40":78,"_42":79,"_44":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6640644,"Davidson County board approves EOG/EOC remediation and re-administration plan",762,2578000,3340000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2552000-aedb3551fde0c6ee327a85524d6b55b0&start=2578&end=3340","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2552000-aedb3551fde0c6ee327a85524d6b55b0/thumbnail_2578000.jpg","/articles/6640644/Tennessee/Davidson-County-board-approves-EOGEOC-remediation-and-re-administration-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6640644-684961d0729d61f16a3f1e522a281c37/orig.mp4?Expires=1770175957&Signature=GJXaYEt~~F0koozlBFlNbVnR9ETmmFT6pbTAiWWlhBcpsKCMrFZdW9Wr9rHEz7b~OEAuNFwPIDqlZbDwup4UO3D6oQmNBuWXQhvOw0cn73BEk6nhjEx04pucAQd7oizE06QrIsSq1gnqZ4vJ00mFE6OGszjHhm7AgXrBrGC6qLoh23MqR310CaWEYmf19ExVYFi36~8abH6G90K1EVWcCTZEBkkfZpL840-TG23yRBqxIcKODx2Bn53BwGe2mYUWeut3O8EkDXsckdZaHWGMyNDfB1pDUVfRirZJUVu4BhV~N7pyCum0GQNgpLURf4Cgv0dvEhPYNFnszC7L~UOzdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Davidson County Board of Education approved a district plan on March 3 to provide remediation and re-administration of end-of-grade (EOG) and end-of-course (EOC) tests after the school year, a step staff said is required by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for any re-test that will count toward school and district accountability.

Under the plan staff presented, students who do not pass initial administrations of ELA and math EOGs (and certain high-school EOCs) will receive a minimum of four hours of targeted remediation—district staff said they plan for approximately five hours—followed by readministration of the test the next day. Schools will offer breakfast and lunch at no charge to participating students, but the district will not provide transportation; parents must provide travel to and from campus. The district said summer-school funding previously covered transportation, but the current plan relies on different funds and cannot pay bus costs.

Scheduling details in the proposal include staggered half-day remediation windows to reduce student fatigue and aid families with students in different school levels. Elementary remediation approximations included a math remediation day (June 9) followed by a math re-test, and a reading remediation and re-test the following week; middle and high school schedules use multi-day remediation blocks and staggered start times to ease drop-off and pickup. High school readministrations include Math I and Math 3 in early June and English II later in the testing window to allow the state’s scoring timeline to return results in time for remediation.

Board members asked how absent students would be handled. “It is required by the state that they remediate in order to be readministered,” said Dr. Coley (staff member). The district confirmed students who miss remediation are not eligible for readministration. Principals and school leaders said they would contact families individually as well as sending letters home to alert parents when remediation is scheduled.

Board members approved the plan by voice vote with no recorded opposition. Staff said principals will offer incentives to teachers who provide remediation on workdays and will notify families with letters and direct contacts once scores are available.

The board also discussed that science EOGs were not included in the readministration plan this year because state scoring for the new science standards will not be returned until August, beyond the district’s remediation timeline.","School leaders won board approval to remediate and re-administer end-of-grade and end-of-course tests after the school year, with transportation not provided and meals offered to participating students.",{"_32":88,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":89,"_40":90,"_42":91,"_44":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6640649,"Davidson County schools approve contracted special-education staffing, parents press for better inclusion",491,3469000,3960000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2552000-aedb3551fde0c6ee327a85524d6b55b0&start=3469&end=3960","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2552000-aedb3551fde0c6ee327a85524d6b55b0/thumbnail_3469000.jpg","/articles/6640649/Tennessee/Davidson-County-schools-approve-contracted-special-education-staffing-parents-press-for-better-inclusion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6640649-f17375335525f2969ed6169fa08d5f6b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770175957&Signature=P9nFnar9FsM6lfyo8Bs-cN3AklqbW5mRwmooyBB6yUJ4s4bjqmgVx5xfDO19YLOeLtpkZqH5gl43xSQ22B8bz7I-mDhsnxi1V4SHmylb179SKc44X~OgFQQ84a833Kh9tmCvASQHqIdOvNZrG-D1HCgDZvJuyBLIgNvldTc~u-Qbof0KDXhfCoru2ehsXWeMbSKk2n8y7FG7tTQwJFgAdwiQo9bEEnKx9hMhW0hBgdN35xjkr9~6iwmIXLdBZDp8f847m0QMt25TqOPG3CFCRq8nVObGC9AFW1LinuC8K-SVCUCVBfR4htE8MRjVc7nrW~Z9Z-IQDMDx2C7maD185g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Davidson County Board of Education on March 3 approved contracts to bring temporary special-education staff into classrooms while parents and local health professionals urged longer-term fixes to inclusion and special-education services.

Board members voted to approve a service agreement with Emergis Healthcare Staffing Inc. to recruit and place an exceptional children (EC) classroom teacher for extended-content standards programs and a part-time speech-language pathologist serving two schools. Superintendent Dr. Slate and staff said the district will pay for those contract services using Medicaid funds and set a not-to-exceed cap of $78,000 for the remainder of the 2024–25 school year. Board members separately approved a Soliant Health LLC agreement for an EC teacher at West Davidson High School, capped at $37,000 and likewise funded by Medicaid program receipts.

The staffing approvals followed public comments from parents and clinicians describing operational problems and student impacts. “The district has failed to provide proper training on inclusion and how to better accommodate students with special needs,” said Jessica Robbins, a parent, who described what she called inconsistent implementation of individualized education programs and placement decisions that separated her child from same-age peers. Robbins said school decisions had limited her child’s access to grade-level instruction.

District staff described a statewide shortage of qualified special-education teachers that has driven districts to use contracting firms. “Our colleges and universities are just not turning out the number of candidates that are needed,” said Dr. Coley (staff member), who presented the contracts. Coley told the board that contractors cover payroll taxes, insurance and workers’ compensation from the hourly rate and that the district will set compensation parameters that prospective hires must meet. “If it were to be filled tomorrow until the end of the year, it will not exceed $78,000,” Coley said of the Emergis arrangement.

The board also approved a memorandum of agreement allowing Alight Behavioral Therapy LLC to provide applied behavior analysis (ABA) services in schools when families contract privately for those services. Dr. Coley said principals report positive classroom outcomes when ABA therapists work in school, because students do not miss instructional time.

Board members and staff framed the contracts as short-term steps while the district pursues longer-term solutions. In discussion, staff noted contracted services will be paid from Medicaid reimbursements allocated to the exceptional-children program, not general fund classroom salaries. Board members asked staff to seek more detail from the vendors about the breakdown of pay and administrative costs.

The votes on the staffing contracts were approved by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

The board did not take any additional policy action on inclusion during the meeting; district staff were asked to continue outreach to families and said they would provide additional information on hiring costs and vendor fee structures in a board brief.

Coley and other staff emphasized that recruiting and retaining qualified special-education teachers is a systemic issue across North Carolina and not unique to Davidson County; trustees discussed the potential long-term trade-offs between using contractors and funding direct hires with benefits.","Following public comments from parents and local clinicians about gaps in special-education services, the Davidson County Board of Education approved service agreements with staffing firms and an outside applied behavior analysis provider to fill exceptional children positions for the 2024–25 school year.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves multiple contracts, capital projects, calendar changes and supplemental pay recommendations

Davidson County board approves EOG/EOC remediation and re-administration plan

Davidson County schools approve contracted special-education staffing, parents press for better inclusion