Story Update June 13, 2018
City Commissioners voted 3 for and 3 against the school feasibility study at its Tuesday June 12 regular meeting. Commissioner Regina Smithson was absent due to a death in the family.
The Brentwood Board of City Commissioners will vote whether to move forward with a study of the feasibility for the creation of a municipal school district in the City of Brentwood at its June 12 regular City Commission meeting.
Southern Educational Strategies, LLC was the only company to submit a proposal to the City of Brentwood Board of Commissioners for a feasibility study. The proposed $204,000 contract would provide the following:
1.Literature Review
A review of literature and research related to school district size and the benefits of local school district control by the City of Brentwood.
2.Tennessee School Finance
An overview of the Basic Education Program (BEP), county property taxes for education, local option sales taxes, plus other local revenue sources.
3.Legal Analysis
An expert review and analysis of current legal and regulatory requirements and issues reasonably expected to arise should the City of Brentwood choose to establish a municipal school district, including the issues related to ownership of existing county school facilities.
4.School Operations
An overview of the essential academic program and operational program requirements that the City of Brentwood could reasonably anticipate encountering should the municipality choose to establish a school district, along with suggested courses of action to successfully meet those requirements such as:
- •Central office staffing including human resources and employee benefits;
- •Academic programs and instructional staffing
- •Transportation
- •Food services
- •Technology services and support
- •Facilities maintenance including custodial services
This overview would address the requirements for the first year of a new operation.
5. Fiscal Requirements
An analysis for the first year of operation of the fiscal requirements of the total annual general operational revenues from the BEP and local government sources plus projected first year expenditures that Brentwood could expect to receive and incur should it choose to establish a municipal school district.
The Process
If the board votes to proceed with the contract, the company would have one year to present its findings. The June 12 Brentwood City Commission meeting will begin at 7pm at Brentwood City Hall on the second floor, which is located at 5211 Maryland Way in Brentwood. You can also view video of the recorded meeting here.
