By Tabitha Evans Moore
Editor & Publisher
LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — The Moore County School Board unanimously approved the use of a $75,000 state-funded tutoring grant Monday night, clearing the way for remedial academic support at the elementary school. The funding, provided through the Tennessee Department of Education, is aimed primarily at helping younger students recover learning gaps, particularly in reading, and must be used within a limited timeframe.
According to school officials, the grant will allow the district to hire one or two part-time tutors — or potentially split the hours among multiple individuals— to work with students during the school day. The positions will be temporary, and the district will need to reapply next year if it hopes to continue the program. Board members voiced support for the measure, with LES Principal Brooke Blackburn noting that the district will “take all the help we can get” when it comes to remediation.
Other items discussed
In addition to the tutoring grant, the board approved several policy updates tied to changes in state guidance. Among them were revisions to the district’s charter school policy, which administrators said were required by state law but have little immediate impact since Moore County does not currently have any charter schools.
The board also approved an update to its expense reimbursement policy that allows limited reimbursement for sales tax on small purchases in certain situations — such as when tax-exempt cards fail and employees temporarily pay out of pocket. District leadership characterized these instances as rare but said the change would provide flexibility and fairness for staff.
Several job description updates were also approved, including changes to head and assistant coaching positions that now list a bachelor’s degree and valid Tennessee teaching license as preferred qualifications. The board approved revisions to the transportation supervisor job description and formally eliminated the ESSER supervisor role, reflecting the ongoing wind-down of federal COVID-era education funding.
Other routine business included approval of an overnight 4-H Congress field trip to Nashville, where students will participate in a legislative simulation, and brief updates from the director of schools. Planning is underway for the district’s summer school program, which is expected to follow a four-day-per-week schedule beginning shortly after Memorial Day.
No public input was offered during the meeting, and discussion of the 2026–27 school budget was left for future sessions as the district begins its budget process.
The Moore County School Board meets every second Monday or the month at either the MCHS Library or the Board of Education offices behind LES at 6 p.m. All meetings are open to the public and there is a public comment period at the beginning of each meeting. To view the Board’s public comment policy, click here. The next meeting will take place on Monday, March 9. •
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