Gardendale City Schools
Gardendale City Schools is an independent school system, established by taking over operation of four former Jefferson County Schools facilities located in the city of Gardendale.
Residents of Gardendale voted in 2014 to establish an independent school system. The Gardendale Board of Education was organized that year with Chris Segroves as president, and Patrick Martin was hired as superintendent. Early negotiations with the county stalled on the issue of assuming the outstanding debt on the $46 million cost of the recently-built Gardendale High School. State Superintendent Tommy Bice mediated discussion of the issue, ultimately ruling that no immediate payment would be required, but that Gardendale would assume debts on other schools.
Under the requirements of the 1972 decision in Stout v. Jefferson County Board of Education, "splinter systems" must participate in the county's court-ordered desegregation plan. Under a proposal negotiated with the county and submitted by the Gardendale Board of Education to Judge Madeline Haikala, Gardendale would permanently accept students in the North Smithfield and Greenleaf Heights communities, and accept students matriculating from Mount Olive Elementary School and Brookside Elementary School for at least 13 years. The city would also receive ad valorum taxes from those communities paid to the county, and Gardendale students would have access to the county's Burkett Learning Center for special needs students, and its International Baccalaureate programs for advanced placement.
Schools
- Gardendale Elementary School
- Snow Rogers Elementary School
- Bragg Middle School
- Gardendale High School
References
- Underwood, Madison (March 3, 2015) "Gardendale schools decision does not require payment to JeffCo, but county's fight not over." The Birmingham News
- Faulk, Kent (November 25, 2015) "Federal judge sets legal road map for Gardendale schools split." The Birmingham News
- Faulk, Kent (December 17, 2015) "Gardendale's new school system would include North Smithfield students outside the city." The Birmingham News