Autaugaville School to close at the end of the school year
Action 8 News has confirmed that Autaugaville School will be closing at the end of the school year.
Rebecca Thomas of the Autauga County Board of Education said that the school board has voted unanimously to close the school.
School officials say the decision was made in response to declining student enrollment, poor academic performance and the district’s continued budgetary constraints.
Last year, voters in Autauga County turned down a proposal to collect an additional $7 million in school funding. At the time, school leaders say the money would have been used to hire teachers, staff and security, provide incentives to outstanding employees and renovate facilities.
The school system said that with the defeat, money would have to be cut to various programs and cutting major expenses through possible school closures and layoffs.
“I’d be lying if I told you that this isn’t a struggle,” Autauga County School Superintendent Lyman Woodfin said to board members at the meeting to decide the K-12 school’s fate.
The closure came after Autaugaville School faced a gradual decrease in student enrollment, which led to challenges in maintaining educational quality and resource allocation.
Autaugaville School was named a Priority School by the Alabama State Department of Education after earning a 59/F on the school’s most recent state report card.
Currently, Autaugaville School only has 241 students in grades K-12; however, as part of the state requirements for being a priority school, the district must provide transportation to a non-priority school for families choosing to take this option.
The maximum projected enrollment was 217, with a more realistic number of possibly 180-190 students, school officials said. Once a school falls below 200 students, the district doesn’t receive state funding for support staff positions such as assistant principal, counselor and media specialist.
“We understand that this decision is a difficult one, and we deeply care about how it will impact students, families, and staff,” Woodfin said. “Our focus will be on ensuring that all students have the necessary resources and support to continue their education at another district school. We remain committed to delivering a high-quality education for all students across the district.”
Efforts are being made to assist students in transitioning to Billingsley and Prattville schools while also providing employees with support, including options for reassignment to other schools within the district, where possible.
“I refuse to RIF our schools. I believe in treating people right,” going against attorney advice on such matters.
A RIF stands for “reduction in force,” a situation that essentially means permanently cutting jobs within the school system to reduce costs.
Additional information will be shared with students, families, and staff to ensure that the process is carried out with the utmost care and respect for everyone involved, the school system said.
