Coffee County Board of Education has released an agenda for their 4:30PM, October 9, 2023 Board Meeting. The Director of Schools contract renewal is on the agenda.
Dr. Charles Lawson, Director of Coffee County Schools sent this message to the Board on Friday, September 29, 2023:
“Because this is the last school day before the board votes on my contract renewal, I thought that I would send a little information for the board to consider. I have attached the document that I created this summer with large amounts of data that supports the positive things that have happened with Coffee County Schools during my tenure. A growth score of 5 for the district, the highest level, for 2023 testing can now be added to all of the other data. If someone, whether another board member, former board member, random unhappy person on social media, etc., tries to convince you that my contract should not be renewed, encourage them to share data that supports their position. My guess is that they will be unable to do so, especially with the thoroughness that I have provided.
A data point that was not included in the attached document is the results from the Director evaluation. The board perception average was 3.31, the teacher perception average was 3.52, and the administrator perception average was 4.19. I will point out that the more a group works with me, the higher the perception score. I am proud that I am in schools often enough that teachers see me more than board members do. This particular correlation can even be seen within the board. The more a board member works with me and consults with me about district topics, the higher their perception of me.
While most of the information I present supporting my contract renewal is logical and data driven, some people prefer anecdotal evidence. While some may turn to other board members or social media, I would encourage you to seek feedback from multiple employees. The Director of Schools has a direct impact on the working environment in the schools. Feel free to talk to employees and ask them their opinions. If you primarily receive negative feedback from employees stating that I have created a hostile working environment, it will make your decision easy. If you receive primarily positive feedback from employees, this anecdotal evidence can be paired with the data I have provided to make your decision easy as well.”
The Coffee County Board of Education meets at the Board of Education, 1343 McArthur Street in Manchester. Meetings are open to the public.
Find the document provided by Dr. Lawson to the Board of Education here:
