Low funding keeps plans for new Sparkman building on hold
A spokesperson for the Madison County Board of Education says the new school in the Sparkman High School district is a top priority, but there is not enough funding to build a new school until residents vote to raise taxes to benefit education. The state may have approved an $80 million education bond to be passed, but according to the Board of Education, all city and county school systems receive an equal share.
"We have requested additional funding from both state and federal sources. We don't really know how much money we are going to get from the tax raise if it gets passed," Kerry Wilkerson, Manager of Construction and Facilities for Madison County, said.
"Three or four years ago we looked at a property that turned out to be wetlands, but now we have found a spot where Oval Smith Road meets Nick Davis Road. There is plenty of land to build on and it has enough lanes of traffic to support a busy school. We've had land locked up to build on in the past, but have no money with which to do so," Wilkerson said.
As the combined number of students at Monrovia, Endeavor, Madison Cross Roads and Harvest Elementary School, all feeder schools for Sparkman, reaches just over 3,700, Wilkerson denies accusations that Sparkman has been abandoned.
"I don't think that not having built a new high school has hurt Sparkman, and I don't think that the Board of Education has neglected Sparkman. Half of the school board budget has gone into the Sparkman district in the last 10 years. The area has grown faster than we can build schools," Wilkerson said.
In the meantime, school board officials are relying on the Sparkman Ninth Grade Academy to ease the overcrowding issue. Sparkman is not alone in having a separate building for ninth grade students. Several schools in Alabama have ninth grade schools including Discovery Middle School. Portable classrooms may also be installed to lower classroom sizes.
"Currently the Freshman Academy at Sparkman High School is working and serving its purpose. If we still need more classroom space then we will get more portables," Wilkerson said.
Space at Sparkman has previously been in short supply. Since the new building opened in 1999, there have been several expansions added to the building. An additional wing, which has been home to the English Department, a second gym and more seating areas in the cafeteria allow the school to accommodate a growing number of students.
"We needed space because of growth in the area so if there is space to build more classrooms then we will just build more classrooms," Public Relations Director Geraldine Tibbs said.
