7/9/26 KCS BOE Regular Meeting

The Knox County Schools Board of Education held a regular meeting on July 9, 2026, focusing heavily on technology use policies in schools, budget adjustments, and contract approvals. Key procurement actions included approval of contracts with Public Consulting Group LLC for alternative schools redesign at an estimated $110,000 and Hatching Results Incorporated for secondary school counseling support at approximately $63,000, both with options for multi-year extensions. The board also approved a revised fiscal year 2027 general purpose budget of $713,665,000 reflecting reduced revenue from the county commission, which led to discussions about staffing cuts, furloughs, and the potential use of reserve funds to mitigate impacts. A substitute motion to use $2.6 million from fund balance to save 29 teaching positions was proposed but failed. Additionally, the board passed a resolution urging the county commission to reconsider salary increases for county employees in light of school funding cuts. The meeting included extensive public comments on technology use, special education, and school safety policies, but no new procurement contracts beyond those noted were discussed.