[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"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","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_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,"_75":74},"mediaId",6636001,"mediaKeyId","2616081-43431c96e5b4887a35bc055e84e563c5","parentId",2616081,"title","Monroe County board approves calendar, textbook adoption and one‑time teacher bonus; approves several routine items","audioSeconds",1912,"startMs",1134000,"endMs",3046000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2616081-43431c96e5b4887a35bc055e84e563c5&start=1134&end=3046","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2616081-43431c96e5b4887a35bc055e84e563c5/thumbnail_1134000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6636001/Tennessee/Monroe-County-board-approves-calendar-textbook-adoption-and-onetime-teacher-bonus-approves-several-routine-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6636001-6f0ba93d33b7dbee3f5df9c7b602a7b3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430529&Signature=kNzEypzNXuaxeBDUfzMzd3G9RJ8OHa-GvVDVASAZ9XA8aUuo1V5bKC1Td2Jl~W7fc~u6LuLDYaq4fePl~4Ore8rtYhKajCztON0oozXzqKEtorrYGG~z~f3lSfTELcsWmbPr2J3Ett5861LmGUvvsCTJDSWTn7rZR2JWvlaqbYmu07HV6DgursI9tUamkRZt~uHSDw0mcGxO~vegjQRCT3ZSo7O3Jxb5zwDvqUQsAWaEPLw5hOutcr7dBZUK~FIc9ksC8ZvWzVTmV9wxLSWZcR0-x0gulxjSW1GIk4c8yvrsIvyI~82gBVCpBzMFxKdaHUMc5nyyPbhQ--jsO1zo0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Monroe County Schools","date","2025-03-14T00:13:01.347Z","article","The Monroe County Board of Education approved a package of routine and programmatic items at its March 13, 2025 meeting, including the 2026–27 school calendar, a 2025 science textbook adoption and a one‑time teacher bonus under the Education Freedom Act of 2025.

Key votes and outcomes:
- School calendar: The board approved the proposed 2026–27 Monroe County school calendar. A board member asked whether year‑round options would be considered in the future; district leadership said that would require stakeholder feedback and advance notice.

- Textbook adoption: The board approved adoption of McGraw Hill’s 2025 science textbooks for grades covered in the recommendation. Staff member Shauna (last name not specified in transcript) was present during the discussion; no substantive objections were raised and the motion passed.

- Budget amendments: The board approved March 2025 budget amendments. During discussion members noted an available fund balance of about $13,000,000 as presented by finance staff.

- Policies (first reading): The board approved a set of updated policies for first reading, with a board member noting the updates align with state law passed during the prior year.

- Tenure approvals: The board approved tenure for a list of teachers from multiple Monroe County schools; the board recognized the newly tenured teachers and planned a reception following the meeting.

- Education Freedom Act (teacher bonus): The board adopted a resolution to participate in Section 4 of the Education Freedom Act of 2025, which provides a one‑time $2,000 bonus for K–12 teachers. Board members discussed logistics but voted to accept the funds.

- Tracks cost study: The board approved a motion directing staff (Sean/Sean Yates referenced in the meeting) to gather estimated costs for a track at Sequoia High School and at Tahoe Plains High School and return figures to the board for consideration.

Other routine matters included approval of the consent and regular agenda (as amended), approval of minutes from Feb. 13, 2025, and various personnel and tenure actions. The meeting also included a public recognition from Madisonville Middle School’s Student Government Association, and a superintendent report noting current enrollment of 4,847 students (an increase of nine from the prior month), upcoming kindergarten registration, MOCO senior games on April 10 and the TCAP/EOC testing window beginning April 14.

All motions above were approved by voice vote unless otherwise noted; where the transcript records a roll call the article reflects the recorded votes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Monroe County Schools March 13, 2025 Regular Called Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Monroe County Board of Education approved several administrative and instructional items at its March 13, 2025 meeting, including the 2026–27 school calendar, a McGraw Hill 2025 science textbook adoption and participation in a one‑time teacher bonus program under the Education Freedom Act of 2025.","taxTitle","Monroe County, School Districts, Tennessee","taxId",38326,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6636006,"Monroe County school board deadlocks on Coker Creek Elementary closure",1441,1363000,2804000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2616081-43431c96e5b4887a35bc055e84e563c5&start=1363&end=2804","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2616081-43431c96e5b4887a35bc055e84e563c5/thumbnail_1363000.jpg","/articles/6636006/Tennessee/Monroe-County-school-board-deadlocks-on-Coker-Creek-Elementary-closure","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6636006-4f844e202f9a0dce5c5cb0fa58494be5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430529&Signature=o440Lc9on6Gdkc88ipGM~4y37JOKMKGLrCLRCOnGKSlAGvgZWFe-bvTROSuS2X4sh3oVGTTO1NaIML1JNGKjDRibc5ezk5aj27NcBn3aXA~0gOY3Ch1dSbcqBdkZKPLS2ZJ-y6224bsY-RdcmdyIfUBUX6wjuS0S~Z-bCHWDXfx04R17~QCXcLN0vOSG6NgKjokcDqW57iMa-bga2hTwlRDpZaPtNEBOXY1c6LRCUyxxYx-rNyilfyfnd6lY4cI9oG7Uva-dpTFGcIPY0No27ubwmmp8l9WXHe8afopTeTxejXKvKFkHUwCMs-1vk3J~QkuagWFUEV-BQGJpcpyjlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Monroe County Board of Education failed to approve a motion to close Coker Creek Elementary at the end of the current school year after a 5-5 roll call vote on March 13, 2025.

Board member Mitch Avery moved to close Coker Creek, saying the school’s operating cost per student was substantially higher than other county schools and arguing the district could absorb students and staff elsewhere. “Numbers say that keeping Coker Creek open and operating, we are doing a disservice not only to the students of that school, but the other students in the county as well,” Avery said.

Supporters of keeping the school open highlighted the community role of the school and questioned the scale of projected savings. Board member Sharon Freeman said the school is “the heart of that community,” praised the work of teachers and staff and questioned whether closing Coker Creek would yield the large savings cited by proponents.

Members debated several cost comparisons during the discussion. Board materials shown to members reported that Coker Creek’s average per‑student cost is substantially higher than other county schools; speakers cited figures such as a per‑student cost near $15,449 (as reported to the board) and contrasted per‑student instructional‑materials spending of about $98 at one larger school with $796 at Coker Creek. Speakers also referenced state funding of roughly $7,075 per student and said county tax funds covered the remainder.

Proponents argued that redistributing Coker Creek students to nearby schools would allow the district to make fuller use of existing capacity and could increase state and federal funding to those receiving schools. Opponents said the likely net annual budgetary savings would be far smaller than suggested, noted recent capital investments at Coker Creek, and warned of damage to a tight‑knit rural community if the school closed.

At roll call the votes were: Kyle Bridal — yes; Mark Ingram — yes; Richard Bettis — yes; Mitch Avery — yes; Vaughn Shuman — yes; Sharon Freeman — no; Joe Cagle — no; Freddie Kelly — no; John Regel — no; Dean Williams — no. With a 5-5 tie, the motion failed and Coker Creek will remain open for now.

Board members on both sides asked district staff for further details about maintenance costs, enrollment thresholds, and property-title questions raised during the meeting. One board member asked staff to check whether there were deed restrictions on the school property; a staff response earlier in the meeting stated the property deed lists ownership as Monroe County Board of Education.

The vote concluded a prolonged discussion that included arguments about fiscal stewardship, educational program delivery in multi‑grade classrooms, and the role of small neighborhood schools in rural communities. No implementation action followed from the meeting beyond the vote to leave the school open.","The Monroe County Board of Education voted 5-5 on a motion to close Coker Creek Elementary at the end of the school year, failing to adopt the proposal after a heated debate over per-student costs and community impact.","actionData","errors"]

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Monroe County board approves calendar, textbook adoption and one‑time teacher bonus; approves several routine items

Monroe County school board deadlocks on Coker Creek Elementary closure