Members of the Rutherford County Schools (RCS) Board of Education held a candid conversation at last week’s work session about a concern that many of the district’s teachers have raised.¶
Educators have told board members that they are struggling to properly deal with students’ behavioral issues, which have drastically increased.¶
A Lack of Kindergarten Resources
One shortcoming the board discussed is that the state does not allow alternative placement for kindergarten students. Schools Director Dr. James Sullivan said he believed it was because the law was written before kindergarten was mandatory. Most behavioral concerns in the district stem from elementary school teachers.¶
“When our elementary principals talk, and when we talk to teachers, kindergarten is the grade level that just wears them out,” Sullivan said. “I don't know if it's maturity; I'm not saying we need to go put an entire school of kindergarteners somewhere, but we have no spot (for them).”¶
Sullivan said a legislative change allowing kindergarteners to receive alternative placement in extreme situations could help, because, as of right now, the options are extremely limited.¶
“The only option we have is to try to convince the parent, ‘Hey, bring them back next year and hope they mature,’” Sullivan said. “That doesn't help… But we, right now, legislatively, do not have an option for (kindergartners), no matter how severe their behavior is.”¶
Sullivan said there have even been instances in which kindergarteners in the district have even become violent with educators.¶
“We had a couple of kindergartners who, physically, this year, were not the way they needed to be with a teacher, and I didn't have anything I could do other than to expel them, which expelling a kindergartner is pretty tough,” Sullivan said.¶
Department of Children’s Services Concerns
The meeting also included a discussion about the number of Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) children placed in district schools. During the 2024-25 school year, RCS reportedly had 196 students in DCS custody who were placed in the district. As of March 17, 2026, there were 523 in homes within the county.¶
Sullivan said it has been difficult to serve those students effectively.¶
While this may have added to the burden, the board’s attorney Monika Ridley also pointed out that not all DHS students placed in the district have behavioral issues.¶
“A lot of these kids don't have behavior issues,” Ridley said. “They have been removed from the home of their parents (because of safety), abuse, drug use, those kind of things.”¶
Possible Solutions
A variety of ideas were thrown into the ring, including board member Stan Vaught’s suggestion that the district create a new school tailored to the district's needs. Other ideas included sending students to specialist schools, increasing the capacities of alternative schools, and even sending them to boot camp.¶
