Rutherford County Schools awarded $1.29M in state construction funds; board eyes cameras and transition academy

Dr. Sullivan, director of schools, told the board the district qualified as a Tier 1 recipient of the state’s school construction/maintenance funds and was slated to receive $25 per student, totaling “Dollars 1,289,738.19.” He said the district must upload an application by June 15 and that state disbursement is expected June 30, which may push the money into the district’s fund balance for the current fiscal year.

The timing narrowed eligible uses, Dr. Sullivan said: the award covers construction, management and certain maintenance but cannot reimburse costs already paid. He suggested using about $300,000 for security-camera upgrades that meet construction-related criteria and earmarking remaining funds to advance plans for a transition academy, proposing one north-end and one south-end site.

Jerome, a district technology/communications staff member, said the district could describe security-camera work as construction-related in the application and that his team would be available to support any technology migration or rollout tied to those projects.

Board members emphasized the need to be deliberate about projects because the funds cannot be used for previously incurred costs. Several trustees also noted that some desirable items — such as training or non-construction maintenance — might not be eligible under the program guidelines. Dr. Sullivan asked the board to provide any additional project ideas before the application deadline so staff could finalize an upload.

Next steps: staff will finalize the application for submission by June 15 and return with specific project scopes and cost estimates to the board; the board will consider formal approval or appropriation after the application and as the fiscal-year close clarifies fund-balance availability.