Sumner County proposes NEST program to keep more elementary students in class

Sumner County School Board members spent an extended portion of the April 7 study session on the proposed NEST program, a multi-component strategy to provide higher-tier behavioral supports for elementary students who have not responded to universal and secondary interventions.

District staff described three NEST components:
- Alternative: a longstanding alternative setting broadened to serve additional students (historically for grades 6–12 and expanded to elementary options over the past ~18 years).
- RENEW: a therapeutic program serving grade 1–5 students with Individualized Education Program (IEP) needs that require intensive therapeutic services and skill acquisition aligned to IEP goals. Placement decisions for RENEW would be IEP-team determinations.
- BRIDGE: a new short-term kindergarten-focused program to support social-regulation and readiness skills so students can be successful in a general education classroom.

The district framed NEST as a response to a small subset of students whose behaviors have outsized effects on instruction and who need more intensive, short-term options than currently available. Staff said elementary disciplinary hearings and long suspensions have declined over three years, and NEST is intended to further reduce exclusionary events by providing in-district alternatives instead of requiring long out-of-district placements.

Board members raised operational questions that staff said they are still developing: who sits on eligibility teams for non-IEP placements; whether placements will be voluntary or require parental agreement; whether NEST classrooms will be centralized or located in individual schools; rubrics and implementation timelines; and administrative capacity at the school level. District leaders said they are in an ideation phase, expect to include costs in the budget proposal next month, and aim for a fall rollout for the initial offerings.

What’s next: staff will develop eligibility rubrics, finalize logistics and present budget requests and draft implementation plans at a future board meeting before broad rollout.