Fairhope, Alabama
MARCH MEETING
The city's Education Advisory Committee met the day after the voter referendum where one county school tax renewal passed and the other failed -- potentially leaving city feeder pattern schools short about $450K/yr they calculated -- more than the whole $350K amount the city contributes to academics each year.
The entire school system will be facing a $3.6 million/yr shortage and there are 8 feeder patterns, they said.
PRINCIPALS ATTEND
Most of the local school principals attended the meeting as well -- and were anxious to hear about this year's $350K appropriation which had been delayed due to the new local study (by Akrobos Consulting) the city commissioned (reduced by $49K to pay for the study).
The principals there seemed disappointed the tax renewal failed and worried about more county school system budget cuts to come.
They were to meet togethar the following week and come up with new submissions by July, but EAC members were not sure what the city council would do since there are not yet any metrics to present to measure progress: the study now under way should help with this.
The usual $350K may not be enough in coming years to have the desired impact, according to committee members.
EAC chairman Flowers observed that since one tax renewal failed countywide (but passed overwhelmingly here) creating a shortfall -- and this being a municipal election year -- school funding may become an issue in this summer's campaign: voters themselves may have a chance to weigh in and give some direction.
CONSULTANTS GIVE UPDATE
Also, representatives from Akrobos consulting were on hand to give a progress report: they are slightly ahead of schedule and have already determined the top ten school systems in the state (high school ACT scores) to compare with the current Fairhpope feeder pattern schools.
Individual schools will also be compared with those in the top ten.
They have visited some of those systems to determine how they got there (top 10) -- and what it would take for Fairhope schools to do likewise.
They had also visited all Fairhope schools and seemed impressed about the "good things going on there already."
Cooperation to collect data from the county school system and city was exceptional.
NEW SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
A new Facebook (clk) and Website (clk) have been established to better-inform the community about the study underway and other committee activities.
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| EAC Chairman Flowers standing |
MARCH MEETING
The city's Education Advisory Committee met the day after the voter referendum where one county school tax renewal passed and the other failed -- potentially leaving city feeder pattern schools short about $450K/yr they calculated -- more than the whole $350K amount the city contributes to academics each year.
The entire school system will be facing a $3.6 million/yr shortage and there are 8 feeder patterns, they said.
PRINCIPALS ATTEND
 |
| principals and others |
The principals there seemed disappointed the tax renewal failed and worried about more county school system budget cuts to come.
They were to meet togethar the following week and come up with new submissions by July, but EAC members were not sure what the city council would do since there are not yet any metrics to present to measure progress: the study now under way should help with this.
The usual $350K may not be enough in coming years to have the desired impact, according to committee members.
EAC chairman Flowers observed that since one tax renewal failed countywide (but passed overwhelmingly here) creating a shortfall -- and this being a municipal election year -- school funding may become an issue in this summer's campaign: voters themselves may have a chance to weigh in and give some direction.
CONSULTANTS GIVE UPDATE
 |
| Akrobos consultants |
Individual schools will also be compared with those in the top ten.
They have visited some of those systems to determine how they got there (top 10) -- and what it would take for Fairhope schools to do likewise.
They had also visited all Fairhope schools and seemed impressed about the "good things going on there already."
Cooperation to collect data from the county school system and city was exceptional.
 |
| EAC committee |
A new Facebook (clk) and Website (clk) have been established to better-inform the community about the study underway and other committee activities.
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