RED BANK, Tenn. (WDEF)- Hamilton County Schools held its annual “State of the System” presentation Monday.
It functions as the district’s State of the Union, and was held at Red Bank High School.
Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson presented several pieces of data he felt presented a successful step forward for HCS.
This included what he says is an over 94 percent graduation rate across the district, which has recently been named as an advancing district due to several metrics.
He said, “Our staff is committed to ensuring our students are seen and supported. This difference is why our students are succeeding, graduating, and accomplishing their goals. Because our schools have staff who not only believe in students, but help them to believe in themselves and champion them along the way.”
The topic of teacher pay Dr. Justin Robertson says it will be the top priority in the upcoming discussions on the Hamilton County school budget.
He says they plan to allocate $14 million to fund a pay increase this year.
Chandler Brooks-Davis, a teacher at The Howard School said, “Just because we can doesn’t mean we should have to, so we need more funds. But for those who aren’t in control of funds, we need more support.”
However, Dr. Robertson says this kind of action will not be sustainable for the county, as conversations continue with local and state leaders about investment opportunities.
He said, “For us to continue to invest more in wages, we will need additional revenue. The thing about inflation is that it’s growing between 2.5% -2.6%. Our year on year increase is about 2%.”
He also commented on the state of one of the largest investments, the various school projects funded by a $250 million bond taken out by the county government in 2024.
Dr. Robertson said, “I feel good. From a community standpoint it’s taking a little bit longer than I hoped but we’re on track and funding is secured and we’ve got good plans.”
He also stated that he feels there is more work than ever for schools to make all families feel welcome, especially saying he feels there is work with Hispanic families.
He did not directly comment on a bill progressing through the legislature that would require all districts to count the amount of undocumented students they serve.
Dr. Robertson said, “It’s not a reference to that bill, but it’s a reference to the situation of our Latino families. They’re not feeling as welcomed as they used to and we would be amiss not to recognize that in this current context they would probably feel less support, less welcomed than they did years ago.”
Hamilton County Schools will be discussing their budget over the next few weeks and hold a vote in May.
