There is good news for Warren County teachers as they embark on summer break. They are on track to receive a $2,000 a year across-the-board raise according to new budget proposals for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year.

In addition, all classified staff will be receiving an average of $1,100 per year raise.

Director of Warren County Schools Dr. Grant Swallows announced details of the new $70 million annual schools budget Tuesday night. County Education Commissioners also approved the new county budget which reflects a per-student increase from $6,860 to $7,775. This increase was recently part of Gov. Bill Lee’s new budget approved by the Tennessee State General Assembly this spring.

“The goal is that all teachers in the county will start at a $50,000 annual salary by the 2026-2027 school year,” explained Swallows to County Commissioners and parents in attendance. This is a strategic raise based on state-funded dollars. Teachers' base salary will go from the current $47,000 to $49,000 per year if the County Commission approves the measure in its final budgetary considerations. Currently, teachers receive an extra $400 per year depending on the amount of experience they accrue.

The meeting was held at Dibrell Elementary School. Principal Shelia Gann and Instructional Coordinator Tina Mullins proudly gave a tour of the school located in northern Warren County, showing off what is considered to be one of the top K-8 facilities in the county. 

The number of upgrades at the school, originally built in 1902, is impressive, including a state-of-the-art science lab, computer lab, raised garden beds and an impressive gymnasium.

The School Board had unanimously passed the budget and the Education Committee, after reviewing its highlights, also approved the plan. The budget is now being reviewed by the Budget and Finance Committee.

Commissioner Scott Kelly presented information on “Lifewise,” a Christian program he would like to see Warren County Schools adopt. The program originated in Ohio and is now in 13 states who work with schools and churches. They basically provide Bible-based “character-building” instruction for grades K-12. County Commissioner Cole Taylor spoke in favor of the religious education program saying “When they took Christ out of schools, that was a mistake.”

County Commission Carlene Brown said “This sounds like a great idea, but it needs to go before the School Board first.”

The commissioners discussed the topic of separation of church and state and if this might be crossing the line. They said students are already in school seven hours a day and this Lifewise program would potentially be offered one time a week. “Prayers at the Pole” is already offered before school at many schools, said some, and it qualifies as religious education.

Kelly cited a study of second graders in Shelby County who have been identified as suffering the most in the aftermath of COVID. Programs like these could help them catch up academically and give them some structure after school. The committee ultimately decided to draft a letter of support for the program and let the School Board take it from there.

Kenny Moffitt, assistant director and the EMT/AEMT education coordinator for Motlow State Community College, spoke in support of dual enrollment at the high school. He said he has at least six students ready to go this August for the program. The first one was in Fayetteville and this would be the third program. He said if this program is approved, these students can potentially receive their EMT license when they graduate high school and be ready to go to work. He said if they add an additional skills instructor, they could have as many as 16 students working towards it. 

Swallows said the high school is returning to traditional block schedule for classes and that this will make aligning with Motlow easier to facilitate for students. Work-based learning and general education classes can all be completed easier. Moffitt also said that sometimes the healthcare track isolates these students. “I want everyone to come to these classes. It’s a great career, a great job - 24 hours on, 72 hours off.”

The committee also discussed the Honor System at the high school and the multi-colored gowns at graduation. Swallows assured Educational Committee members that “Nothing has changed in regards to how we do this. It’s not going away. We call the graduates alphabetically.”

But he also acknowledged the multi-colored gowns may well be changing to all black. The appropriate stoles, ribbons, tassels and regalia to honor and recognize different achievements the graduates have earned will be used in lieu of colored gowns. “We want to recognize good students,” he says. Apparently 368 graduates in a variety of red, white, yellow and blue colors was a hot topic at Nunley Stadium Friday night. 

Many other graduating classes in the state wear black.

The worry is does it reflect a class system? The multitude of colors is complicated and Swallows wants to see that changed.

Commissioner Cole Prater said “I wore a red gown at my graduation and I was proud of it.”

Carlene Brown said “We want to keep graduation a special ceremony.”

Swallows emphasized the seriousness of the occasion and that high school commencement is a rite of passage. “It’s a ceremony of importance and we want to announce each graduate with the same reverence and we want to do it A-Z. Three years ago, students were still throwing beach balls up into air. We’ve moved on from that.”

He also said that high school is technically the only “graduation” happening in K-12 and that all the others are ceremonies. He wanted to clarify that point and keep it special.

Other fine points of the new 2024-2025 school budget include the following:

• 7 percent estimated increase in medical insurance by the State

• Legacy retirement employer contribution has decreased from 6.81 percent to 6.36 percent per TCRS

• Science textbook adoption estimated $1,500,000 

• ESG Loan and Bond payments are included in capital projects.

• Summer Learning Camp estimated expenditures and revenues are included in the budget

• Innovative School Grant Year 3 and SPARC 4.0 revenues and expenditures are included

• Voluntary Pre-K grant has enough funding to cover salaries only.  Requires supplies, travel, and family engagement will be paid for by the district.

• Warren County Medical Clinic to benefit employees and their families

• Line items have been reduced to take into account known GP expenses that will be paid by ESSER FY25.  FY26 Budget will increase by approximately 2.5 million due to expenses returning to GP that ESSER is covering this year.