From time to time foundations, school support organizations, parent groups and other third parties may express an interest in providing financial resources to support staff positions at specific schools. The Board of Education encourages community members to be engaged in our efforts to ensure a high-quality public education for all children in the Knox County Schools. While providing funding to support positions in schools is a unique and admirable undertaking, the nature of this activity requires that some very specific parameters be established concerning third party funded positions.  

All third parties proposing to fund an instructional or support position at any school must request approval to do so from the Director of Schools. The Director of Schools will evaluate each proposal in terms of the strategic goals of the school district and the needs of the school, as well as instructional and operational considerations.  If the Director of Schools, in consultation with the school principal, finds the proposal to be acceptable, the third party and the Knox County Schools will develop a detailed written agreement concerning the position to be funded.  As a minimum, the agreement will include the following specifications:  

1. Persons hired to fill third party funded positions will be employees of the Knox County Schools and subject to all of the conditions of employment of the Knox County Schools.
2. The Knox County Schools will be responsible for the selection, supervision, and evaluation of all personnel in third party funded positions and for all employment actions concerning these personnel. 
3. Third party funded positions will be “year to year” or temporary positions since they are not associated with an appropriated revenue stream.  Persons filling these positions will do so with a temporary contract. 
4. Persons in these positions will be paid according to the appropriate Knox County Schools pay and supplement schedules. 
5. Untenured teachers in these positions will not earn tenure since these will be “year to year” or temporary positions. Tennessee Code Annotated states to earn tenure the person must be a "regular teacher" during the last year when recommended for tenure. However, individuals on these contracts will progress in seniority on the appropriate longevity step increase pay scales. 
6. The precise source of funding, documentation of adequate available funds, a contractually binding non-contingent commitment to cover the full cost of the designated position (including but not limited to salary, retirement, social security and any medical insurance benefits), and a specific payment schedule must be clearly delineated.   

It will be the responsibility of the Director of Schools to ensure that such reimbursed positions do not create substantial resource equity issues within the Knox County Schools. 

Legal Reference:  

T.C.A. § 49-5-503(3).