A long-awaited solution may finally address school overcrowding in the Farragut area of Knox County.At Monday night’s school board work session, Knox County School (KCS) leaders recommended building a new K-5 elementary school to address the overcrowding in Farragut area schools. The proposed school is expected to cost $47 million and will house 1,200 students.District leaders also recommended spending $3 million to renovate Farragut Primary and Intermediate schools and expand both into K-5 elementary schools.

Three members of the Knox County Board of Education continued to work against efforts to establish a public charter school with a history of successfully serving economically disadvantaged and students of color Thursday night.Board members John Butler, Katherine Bike, and Jennifer Owen were among those who unsuccessfully opposed the all-boys Knoxville Preparatory School’s approval last April. The school model replicates PREP Public Schools’ existing Chattanooga Preparatory School in Hamilton County that’s a Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) Level 5 school, the highest of the state’s academic growth measure.

Multiple members of the Knox County Board of Education who unsuccessfully opposed Knoxville Preparatory School’s approval in April, are continuing to make it more challenging for the public charter school to open.Knox Prep faced no obstacles working out the details of its charter agreement with district staff, but board members John Butler and Katherine Bike temporarily blocked the contract at last month’s meeting by abstaining on what should have been a routine vote for approval. The board will make another vote on the contract this Thursday and Tuesday’s work session provided Knox Prep’s opponents with another opportunity to continue to challenge it.

Knox County Schools announced more reforms are coming for the district’s special education program.Assistant Superintendent of Student Success Jason Myers unveiled the launch of a standing special education council at Monday night’s school board meeting that will provide input and perspective to the work that is already underway to improve special education. The district is inviting each member of the recently created special education task force to be a part of that council, along with general education teachers, special education teachers, and district leaders.

The Knox County Schools (KCS) Department of School Culture is aiming to make stronger connections with students who access the district’s mental health resources.The department is receiving the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) to put together structures within district schools that further support mental health and expand on the current mental health services students are receiving.

Members of the Knox County Schools Board of Education unanimously voted to approve board chair Betsy Henderson’s resolution to follow all five recommendations made by the Knox County Schools (KCS) special education task force.The task force made recommendations last month to address what it felt are concerning cultural problems with special education in the district. Henderson proposed a resolution to approve the recommendations last week.“I enthusiastically support and encourage passage of (Chair) Henderson’s resolution to make Knox County Schools a model district for excellence and special education, and implement the task force’s recommendations,” said task force member Cortney Piper. “Reimagining Knox County Schools’ special education is the right thing to do and it’s the legal thing to do. It’s hard work and there’s no question about that. Consider me and hundreds of other special education parents your partners in this hard work.”

Cary Byrge began noticing something frustrating towards the end of her son’s second-grade year in school.Byrge’s son was supposed to receive regular speech therapy through Knox County Schools, but that assistance became less reliable.“The first two years went great. Then all of a sudden, towards the end of second grade, he began to receive speech services less and less and less and I would call, and I would email, and we would have meetings and we would put a band aid on it for the end of the year and then say they would try to do better next year. But it never got any better, it actually got a lot worse,” said Byrge.That was especially true when her son entered the sixth-grade.

The Knox County Schools board of education approved a policy to allow students to leave school for an hour to earn elective credits for religious courses.The 7-1 decision came with some reservations from board members, including Reverend John Butler. The District 1 board member raised numerous concerns about the vagueness of the policy.

A “deep dive” review of student support services by Knox County Schools (KCS) found challenges providing resources to special education students and English language learners.That review of the district’s Student Success Division found many parents of these students were unsure where to find resources and a general need for improved communication with families.

Knox County Schools (KCS) Superintendent Jon Rysewyk unveiled a new strategic plan at Monday’s school board meeting to improve schools in the district’s Region 5 in west and north Knoxville.The five-year plan dubbed the “Region 5 Way,” intends to transform the outcomes of students by establishing a clear, aligned mission for excellence throughout the region.

Knox County Schools (KCS) Superintendent Jon Rysewyk unveiled a new strategic plan at Monday’s school board meeting to improve schools in the district’s Region 5 in west and north Knoxville.The five-year plan dubbed the “Region 5 Way,” intends to transform the outcomes of students by establishing a clear, aligned mission for excellence throughout the region.

Knox County School Board Member Susan Horn (District 5) provided the tie breaking vote at Thursday’s special called meeting to approve the county’s second public charter school.Horn wasn’t present during the initial vote 4-4 tie vote earlier this month that not only failed to approve the application from Knoxville Preparatory School, it also failed to agree on a reason for denial.

Supporters of the proposed Knoxville Preparatory School will learn Thursday if having every school board member in attendance improves their chances of approval.Members of the Knox County School Board failed to approve the public charter school’s application during a tumultuous meeting earlier this month and failed to agree on a reason for denial. In multiple votes the board was unable to break a 4-4 tie with board member Susan Horn (District 5) absent.

Katherine Bike (District 4) accused Chattanooga Prep Sophomore Theo Pedro Orozco of being a pawn for Knox Prep supporters when he referred to his mother as "illiterate" during a hearing earlier in the week. Orozco was among the group of Chattanooga Prep students who made the drive to Knoxville to speak in support of Knox Prep.

Tennessee lawmakers approved expanding the private school voucher program to Hamilton County, but not Knox County. The final bill now awaits Gov. Bill Lee’s signature.

A retention policy tied to state reading test scores is drawing both support and skepticism.

The charter evaluation team for Knox County Schools is recommending approval for a second public charter school. The team formally presented its findings to the district board of education Monday night in support of Knoxville Preparatory School.

The education chair of the Chattanooga NAACP wants her organization’s Knoxville branch to reconsider its opposition to proposed public charter school Knoxville Preparatory School (Knox Prep).Dr. Edna Varner also serves on the board for three Hamilton County public charter schools, including Knox Prep’s affiliated school Chattanooga Prep. Wednesday she wrote a letter to the Knoxville NAACP to assure its leaders that Knox Prep will help students of color succeed with a high-quality education that may not currently be available.