They had been additionally anticipated to debate the impression of a state legislation that would maintain third-grade college students again if they do not carry out nicely on state checks.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knox County Board of Schooling met Monday to debate whether or not they need to spend round $1.835 million for a partnership with the Helen Ross McNabb Heart meant to develop psychological well being providers.
The contract would begin on Jan. 1, 2023, and would finish on the final day of December 2023. It may very well be prolonged for 4 further years, one yr at a time. The contract additionally says the psychological well being providers could be funded with federal ESSER cash.
The McNabb Heart would offer psychological well being providers at every secondary faculty in addition to disaster intervention providers, supporting a three-tiered framework of psychological well being assist in Knox County Colleges. On the first tier, psychological well being care employees would work with college students to enhance their efficiency, and attendance, and construct socio-emotional expertise.
On the second tear, college students thought of susceptible to growing psychological well being points would obtain individualized care by way of a counselor. Within the third tier, faculty personnel will collaborate with psychological well being suppliers on a coordinated system of care that features disaster response methods.
The contract specifies that the McNabb Heart would want to supply a psychological well being counselor for 35 secondary faculties. If they supply one counselor per faculty, it could value round $1.7 million, based on the $50,000 estimated value per yr of a counselor. They’d additionally want to supply a disaster counselor at an estimated $85,000 per yr, to serve the entire district.
The contract additionally specifies providers ought to construct on the strengths of scholars and their households and emphasizes household involvement all through psychological well being therapy.
KCS mentioned they would offer a counseling-friendly house inside every faculty for the McNabb Heart’s workers. Serves would even be obtainable to college students no matter their capacity to pay.
Counselors would want to have a Grasp’s diploma at a minimal, based on the contract. The McNabb Heart mentioned they anticipated 90% of scholars could have a discount in psychiatric hospitalizations, and 80% will preserve passing tutorial efficiency by way of the partnership.
KCS leaders are anticipated to vote on the partnership on Wednesday throughout their common assembly. They’re additionally anticipated to debate whether or not to ship a decision to the state legislature asking for districts to make retention choices.
That decision is in response to a brand new state legislation that would require some third graders to remain behind if they do not carry out nicely sufficient on some state checks.
“Not affording faculty districts the discretion to make retention choices primarily based on all faculty district info on every scholar adversely and disproportionately impacts college students who, for a lot of causes, won’t carry out nicely on standardized checks however but show an understanding of ELA through different information assessments,” the decision mentioned.
