Oak Ridge Today

Schools publish number of open seats per school

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Oak Ridge Schools has published the number of open seats available in each grade at elementary and middle schools for students who are interested in cross-boundary and out-of-district tuition enrollment.

The number of open seats ranges from zero to eight, depending upon the school and grade. Numbers are subject to change based on new families moving into the district, according to Oak Ridge Schools.

The open enrollment numbers for the 2023-2024 school year are available on this school district website page: Enrollment Information for 2023-2024 – Oak Ridge Schools (ortn.edu).

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79 percent of students attending classes in person, 21 percent online-only

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Four out of five students in Oak Ridge Schools are attending classes in person at least two days per week, while one out of five have registered for an online-only option as the school system and families respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are the enrollment numbers for all of the schools on Friday:

  • On-campus classes: 3,695 (about 79 percent of total enrollment)
  • The online-only option, ConnectOR: 963 (about 21 percent)

The school system was showing a total enrollment of 4,658 on Friday, but Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers said it is too early to tell what the actual enrollment is.

“We should have a solid number in a couple of weeks,” he said.

It’s not clear how many families have selected a home school option during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The school system offered two options for the new school year, which started Wednesday and Thursday, depending upon the school.

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Affordable Care Act enrollment rescheduled for Wednesday

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A rescheduled Affordable Care Act enrollment event will be Wednesday.

The enrollment event has been rescheduled from Saturday, January 23, to Wednesday, January 27, because of the weather last week.

The enrollment event is still at the Oak Ridge Public Library, and it’s from 4-8:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Library Auditorium. [Read more…]

Roane State participating in prestigious Achieving the Dream National Reform Network

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Chris Whaley

Chris Whaley

Roane State Community College is now a part of the Achieving the Dream National Reform Network, becoming one of the first community colleges in Tennessee selected for this nationwide network working to improve student success.

The Achieving the Dream National Reform Network includes more than 200 community colleges. The network is led by Achieving the Dream Inc., a national nonprofit considered one of the most comprehensive, non-governmental education reform organizations in the country.

“We are honored to participate in the Achieving the Dream National Reform Network,” Roane State President Chris Whaley said. “Through our participation in the network, we will learn evidence-based best practices from other colleges and from the network’s team of experts. Participation in Achieving the Dream gives us an opportunity to learn from the best, and to bring those ideas to Roane State to help our students succeed.” [Read more…]

UT study: Percentage of uninsured in Tennessee at its lowest in a decade

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KNOXVILLE—The percentage of uninsured Tennesseans is at its lowest rate in a decade, according to a report released Monday by the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

The report shows that 7.2 percent of Tennessee’s 6.5 million residents are uninsured, a 25 percent decrease from last year. The report also shows that 2.4 percent of children in the state are without insurance, a 35 percent decrease from last year.

The findings are included in “The Impact of TennCare: A Survey of Recipients 2014,” prepared by UT’s Center for Business and Economic Research, or CBER. The report’s authors are Angela Thacker, CBER research associate, and LeAnn Luna, CBER associate professor.

The declines coincide with the establishment of the Health Insurance Marketplace, which was put into place in early 2014 through the Affordable Care Act. The act also has had an impact on the state’s Medicaid program, TennCare, which has experienced the third highest new enrollment in its 20-year history. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge library offers two dates to enroll in Affordable Care Act

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The Oak Ridge Public Library will offer two opportunities for the public to enroll in the Affordable Care Act on Saturday, Feb. 22, and Saturday, March 8, from 2-5:30 p.m.

These events will be held in the auditorium and manned by volunteers who will provide both ACA information and ACA enrollment assistance for those interested in signing up for health insurance under the new ACA Exchanges. Individual computer stations will be available, and volunteers will be on hand to assist as needed. In addition, a Spanish-language translator will also be available.

The official website for enrollment is www.healthcare.gov; this site also contains detailed information about the ACA, and its costs and benefits. [Read more…]

Nothing to report yet on Oak Ridge Schools funding, state official says

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Tennessee officials had little to say on Wednesday about the potential loss of state education funding that Oak Ridge school officials have said could cost the school system $1.87 million per month—and lead to a temporary school shutdown on Oct. 1.

“We are starting to have meetings with various people regarding this situation, but at this point, we don’t have anything to report,” said Kelli Gauthier, communications director for the Tennessee Department of Education. [Read more…]