UPDATED: School system has until Friday to apply for grant to fund Baby Birds Learning Center

Mar. 21—UPDATE

The emotion-packed week for parents with children enrolled in Baby Birds Learning Center ended on a high note Thursday when Cumberland County's director of schools said he would apply for an intervention grant to keep the doors open.

"Let's go ahead and apply," said Director of Schools William Stepp, "and we'll see where we go from there."

His declaration at the Cumberland County Board of Education meeting was met with applause from the audience, which at times was standing room only and spilling into the hallways.

The school district has until Friday to apply for the Tennessee Early Intervention System grant that will allow it to continue operating the learning center for developmentally and intellectually challenged children ages 18 months-3 years.

In a prepared statement the morning before the school board meeting, Stepp told the Chronicle the learning center that's been in operation since 2010 would shutter its doors June 30, when the present TEIS grant is set to expire.

He said he made the decision "after careful consideration for all stakeholders in Cumberland County Schools."

Stepp read that statement during his director's report in Thursday's regular monthly board meeting that lasted more than three hours.

The board discussed the matter at length at the behest of board member Elizabeth Stull, 1st District, who made a motion to add discussion about Baby Birds to the agenda. It was seconded by board member Becky Hamby, 7th District.

But when the board was set to approve the agenda with the amendment, it faced opposition from board member Chris King, 6th District.

"I tried to do that last month and wasn't allowed to," he said, referring to an amendment he unsuccessfully attempted to add about Stepp's contract.

"We voted last time, and it did not pass," said board Chairwoman Teresa Boston, 8th District.

King replied, "I just wanted you to know that I object."

The agenda and amendment were approved 5-4. Voting in favor were Stull; Hamby; Boston; Robert Safdie, 2nd District; and Anita Hale, 4th District.

Joining King in opposing the agenda and amendment were Sheri Nichols, 3rd District; Nick Davis, 5th District; and Shannon Stout, 9th District.

After a break two hours into the meeting, Boston moved the discussion up on the agenda because several parents in attendance had their children with them and needed to get them home.

At that point, King made a motion to postpone the discussion.

"It's getting late," he said.

Hamby and Safdie reminded the panel about the grant's application deadline.

"So we can't wait until next month," Hamby said.

King then asked about the nature of the discussion.

"It's already been explained to us earlier in the director's report," he said. "We heard comments during the comment section. What else is there?"

Boston asked if King objected to the matter being moved up on the agenda.

"No, I don't object to it being moved up," he replied. "We need to move through it pretty quickly."

King's motion died for lack of a second.

Boston reminded the board that no vote could be taken on the Baby Birds matter because it was added to the agenda during the meeting.

Stull asked Stepp why he chose not to apply for the grant.

"We don't know what that amount is going to be," she said.

Stepp said he made the decision based on recommendations from his team. Stull then asked why funding the program had not come before the board.

Stepp said several board members had spoken with him, and they had discussed several options.

"I want to know what board members were talked to," Hale said. "Because I was not."

Stepp said he encouraged board members to contact him in the emails he sent them about the decision.

"I put that in every email, and I encourage you to come by and talk to me," he said.

Both Stepp and Stull said they had not discussed the matter before the board meeting. He said several other board members, including Nichols, Hale and Boston, had reached out. But Hamby said those communications took place afterward "instead of before the decision was made."

Stull said she found it troubling that a 14-year program was being discontinued because it was thought the TEIS grant would not cover the cost of it.

"We're just automatically not going to apply for it because we may not have enough to fund it doesn't seem to be the responsible way to go in making a decision like that," she said.

Boston agreed. "Why would we not apply for a grant for a program that is so needed for these babies and for their parents that hasn't cost us anything?"

Baby Birds began as a cooperative effort between TEIS and the school district. TEIS provided funding for constructing the building near The Phoenix School on Taylor St. Fully funded by a TEIS grant, the learning center is maintained through the school district by its special education director and The Phoenix School administration.

Stull said the children served by Baby Birds receive services for three hours two days a week, significantly more than TEIS alone would offer.

"The differences being made in these kids being able to participate in this program is huge," Stull continued. "And there's a waiting list on this program — this is not something that the community isn't using. The community is using this program to its fullest."

A sign-in sheet outside the board room allows the board to collect names from those in the community wishing to address the board. Boston said five pages of names had been collected before Thursday's session, so she asked Baby Birds supporters to designate two speakers on their behalf.

Russ Owen, whose daughter, Belle, attends Baby Birds, presented the board with a Change.org petition signed by 411 people asking for funding to be reinstated to keep the learning center open.

"Belle has been tested several times, and each time she comes back as borderline autistic," he said.

"At the time she started, her vocabulary was very limited, and she was behind in motor skills," Owen continued. "Since she's been going there, her vocabulary has grown exponentially."

The second speaker, Emily Nichols, described similar developments in her son, Bennett, 2, who she said has learned to communicate effectively, follow two-step directions and grown socially.

"The learning center has been a huge blessing, not only to my family, but many others as well," she said.

"I hope the decision to not renew this contract was not taken lightly, as the impact of closing Baby Birds will greatly devastate this community. It will not just affect the children currently enrolled, but also those who will need these services in the future."

Both Stull and Hamby wondered why the TEIS grant was not being pursued.

"We vote on whether or not we're going to try and apply for grants all the time," Hamby said. "But this was never presented before the board for a vote to decide if we wanted to apply for it. It doesn't mean we have to accept it."

She continued, "Why were we not afforded the opportunity to at least vote on applying for this grant? The full board was not included in that decision."

When Safdie asked what maintenance costs are above the grant, Nichols and Stout mentioned costs related to a playground and maintenance on toys. Stepp later said teacher raises factored into his decision.

"That's not something the board discussed, though," Stull said, adding that it was included in an email to board members about why the decision was made to close the Baby Birds.

Stout wondered if all grants under consideration are brought before the board.

Stepp replied, "No."

"So what would trigger you to bring one before the board if all of them aren't brought before the board?" Stout asked.

"There's no policy on that — that it has to go in front of the board," Stepp said. "That's part of running the business of the schools."

Stull said her concern was that the decision was made to end a much-utilized long-time program without board consultation by the director of schools because maintenance costs might run in excess of the grant dollars awarded.

"That's not even something that's been brought to the board on whether or not we would like to see that program still continue?" she asked. "If we want to go ahead and try and fund the repairs that are needed?"

Stout said the board employs Stepp to make such decisions and run the day-to-day operations and he, in turn, relies on his administration to advise him.

"The board does not get involved in grant determination, decisions, applications," she said. "That is the administration — Mr. Stepp — that does that. So you need to be careful about pulling one particular thing out and saying this should have come to us for the board to talk about it. Because then, we're saying any time a grant is being considered, you need to bring it before us to talk about it."

Stull said, "But there is no harm in applying for the grant. Because you don't know if you are not going to receive the full amount that you need to fund the program that's been self-funded this whole time."

In response to a question from Stout, Stepp confirmed TEIS had given him an idea of a grant dollar amount that helped him come to his decision to close Baby Birds.

"We're working very hard with TEIS in making sure there is no break in the continuation of services of any child, period," Stepp said. "We are going to work directly with these families on all the transition. We already work with TEIS all the time, so we're going to work with them."

He added that the district has four different settings to accommodate 3-year-olds five days a week "as much as they want — all day, if they would like. So we're increasing that offering right now."

Stull pointed out that Baby Birds serves children who are not yet 3 years old.

"In the community, we already have a shortage of services that these kids can get their appointments through," she said. "There's waiting lists for them to go ahead and receive their services, or they're going to have to travel to Cookeville or Knoxville to go ahead and try and get these same services that they're receiving right now, here."

Stout said no one questions the need, adding she didn't think anyone wanted to end the program.

"It's a matter of what's best for the entire district," she said.

Boston disagreed. "It's not an overall in the best interest of the district," she said. "It's what's in the best interests of these children is what we need to be thinking about."

She noted the district has the building, and the program does not cost the school district any money.

Boston encouraged Stepp to give the parents a chance to raise funds or do repairs.

"We may have to spend some money," she acknowledged. "But is it worth getting rid of the entire program for these children because we have to fix a playground?"

Stout asked if any community resources might be available.

"If we don't apply and keep the program going, we won't ever know," Boston said.

The school district will learn between April-June if it receives the TEIS grant.

BREAKING, MARCH 21

Cumberland County Director of Schools William Stepp told the Board of Education Thursday night he and his staff will apply for the intervention grant that funds the school system's operation of Baby Birds Learning Center.

"Let's go ahead and apply," he said, "and we'll see where we go from there."

Baby Birds is an early childhood intervention program that caters to children ages 18 months-3 years who have developmental and intellectual disabilities. The Tennessee Early Intervention System grant that operates funds the facility is set to expire June 30.

Stepp had said the center would close at the conclusion of the present TEIS grant June 30.

A number of concerned parents and supporters of Baby Birds attended Thursday's meeting. Two were elected to speak on the parents' behalf during the public comment period.

The board discussed the learning center at length later in the meeting. Elizabeth Stull, 1st District board member, requested adding the matter to Thursday's agenda. After a second from Becky Hamby, 7th District school board member, the amended agenda was approved by a vote of 5-4.

Voting to approve the amended agenda were Stull, Hamby, Board Chairwoman Teresa Boston, 8th District; and board members Robert Safdie, 2nd District; and Anita Hale, 4th District.

Opposing the amended agenda were board members Sheri Nichols, 3rd District; Nick Davis, 5th District; Chris King, 6th District; and Shannon Stout, 9th District.

The TEIS grant deadline is Friday, March 29.