Warren County Schools turning to contracted services after staffing issues left the district unable to fill school psychologist positions.
Director of Schools Grant Swallows told the Warren County Board of Education the district has traditionally employed its own psychologists. Swallows said the district is shifting money previously budgeted to pay an outside provider.
“That’s a difficult position to hire,” Swallows said. “We had a couple of retirements this year, and so, and because we could not find a replacement, there are contracted school psychiatrists available.”
One board member asked whether retired psychologists could instead return to the district on a part-time basis. Swallows said he did not know whether that possibility had been discussed with the retirees.
“For years, we’ve had the opportunity to do 100-day contracts, but two years ago, the General Assembly put restrictions on us to say that we can’t discuss those prior to,” Swallows said. “So one of the things that going forward might be worth posting a 100-day contract to see if anybody would be willing to take that.”
Swallows said contracted services had already provided the district another option when staffing needs arose late last school year. He said the possibility of using 100-day contracts could be reconsidered next year.
“I do think the school psychologists that have gone private are able to draw retirement and make the salary,” Swallows said. “So that’s up to them, but it might be more profitable for them to do it the other direction.”
Swallows said the district could move the funding back to personnel later if its staffing approach changes. For now, the district is using the outside provider to fill the need.