$10 Million Proposed for Schools -- Black Parents Unhappy Over Store Site Plan
Posted on: Friday, 17 February 2006, 12:01 CST
By Michael Erskine erskine@commercialappealcom
Crowding in Southeast Shelby County public schools has spurred a proposal to give more than $10 million in emergency construction funds to the city and county school systems.
County Commissioner David Lillard proposed Wednesday to give the county school system $3 million for permanent additions to existing schools. In turn, the city school system would get its share of funds - about $7.75 million - based on the state-mandated average daily attendance funding formula.
The proposal came in response to concerns over plans by the county system to use a vacant Schnucks grocery store as a temporary school to alleviate crowding - a plan that's been met with skepticism from some black parents. The crowded schools that would feed into the temporary school - Highland Oaks Elementary and Southwind Elementary and Middle schools - have large black populations.
County school leaders are in line to get funding for a new elementary school next fiscal year, which would provide much-needed capacity. But they say they need a Band-Aid fix in the short term.
Lillard said he was initially hoping the emergency funds could prevent the need to use the Schnucks site at all, but it's too late to appropriate the funds and get the new classrooms built by August. Instead, he's hoping the temporary school could be used for maybe just one year, instead of two or three.
"The need is extremely apparent," said Lillard, who said the county system simply can't keep up with the growing number of students.
Commissioners, in general, were supportive of the allocation of additional funds.
The body's education committee voted 9-0 Wednesday to send Lillard's proposal to the independent needs assessment committee, an advisory panel created to make recommendations on school spending. The panel was asked to make an expedited decision about the proposal.
How the proposal would be funded, however, remains up in the air.
The funds are not in the county's current school funding plan, which calls for $177 million in funds for city and county schools in the current fiscal year. Of that, the city system is in line for roughly $107 million in capital funds, with $49 million going toward a new county high school.
Jim Huntzicker, the county's director of administration and finance, recommended against adoption of the new spending Wednesday, saying he hoped the school systems could live within the budget. To fund the emergency spending plan, the county would either have to borrow more money or take funds from other areas of the budget.
- Michael Erskine: 529-5857
Source: Commercial Appeal, The
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