by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the Jan. 8 meeting, the Franklin County School Board approved a Graduation Requirements policy change reducing the required credits from 28 to 22 as a special exception on a case-by-case basis for students transferring into the district. The state minimum requirement is 22 credits.

“We’re losing a few graduates because of the 28-credit requirement,” said Human Resources Supervisor Linda Foster who proposed the change. “It’s an extreme commitment for students who come in as juniors or seniors.”

“Students transfer into the district [as a junior or senior] from different states or different districts with different credit requirements,” Director of Schools Cary Holman explained. “There’s no way they can get 28 credits in their time remaining in high school.”

Board member Sarah Marhevsky concurred, pointing to the high school where she formerly taught where students took six courses a year for six credits per year, making the 28-credit standard unachievable for a student transferring from there.

“We don’t want to punish students [for transferring],” said board Vice Chair Lance Williams.

“This is to keep them from dropping out,” said board member Sandy Shultz.

Foster stressed the “intent” was not to allow students with 22 credits to graduate early, but rather to meet the “needs” of transfer students. Williams insisted the “case-by-case” criterion strictly adhere to need-based circumstances.

In other business, the board voted to terminate the Bus 15 contract and to reassign the contract to Jesse Sells who has been running the route since Dec. 14. Transportation Director Jeffery Sons cited a November 23 “accident and subsequent issues” as the reason for the contract termination.

Updating the board on state legislature business, Marhevsky said in meetings with Representative Iris Rudder and Senator Janice Bowling the congresspersons advised against calling Governor Lee’s proposed Freedom Scholarships “vouchers.” The Tennessee legislature returned to session January 9. “There’s probably backing for the Freedom Scholarship Act to go through,” Marhevsky said. At the December meeting the board passed a resolution opposing the scholarship plan [See Messenger, December 15, 2023]. Marhevsky urged concerned community members to contact their legislators.

Foster announced the district still had an opening for an art teacher at Broadview and North Lake Elementary, as well as openings for three custodians, a special education assistant and a Title 1 assistant.

The board meets next on Thursday, Feb. 15, instead of on the regular meeting date.