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Irondale council funds feasibility study on city-run schools, approves teacher and principal stipends and outdoor learning funding
Summary
The council authorized up to $85,500 for a study into whether Irondale can operate its own school system, approved $30,000 in principal retention stipends, $28,000 for teacher classroom stipends, and a $1,000 allocation for picnic tables at Irondale Community School.
The Irondale City Council approved a package of education-related measures on the consent agenda, including a feasibility study on a potential city-run school system and multiple one-time support payments for local schools.
The council authorized an agreement with RNC Educational Consultants LLC not to exceed $85,500 to conduct an educational feasibility study. Mayor James D. Stewart Jr. said the study will be led by Dr. Ira Harvey and “will do a feasibility study to determine if the city of Irondale is in a position to have its own school system, how much the cost would be, where the students will come from.” The mayor emphasized that the study is not a decision to create a school system but a step to quantify costs and options.
Separately, the council approved Resolution 20 25 R-179 to allocate $30,000 through Jefferson County Schools for retention stipends: $10,000 each to Taki Sarhan, principal of Shades Valley High School; Jessica Hahn, principal of Irondale Community School; and Dr. Marvin Carter, principal of Irondale Middle School. Stewart said the stipend is paid if a principal completes the school year and that the city enacted the program after experiencing high turnover.
The council also authorized $28,000 from the FY2025-26 educational budget to provide $150 stipends to individual teachers across five schools (Shades Valley High School, Arendelle Middle School, Grantswood Community School, Irondale Community School, and JCIB) and approved a $1,000 discretionary allocation from Councilor David Spivey’s FY24-25 fund for picnic tables to support outdoor learning at Irondale Community School.
All education items were placed on and approved via the consent agenda. Council members who spoke welcomed the measures while noting the study will answer questions about cost and funding; one councilor stressed the study’s purpose: “This is a study. This is not saying that we’re getting ready to do something one way or the other.”
Why this matters: The feasibility study could lead to a major change in local governance of schools if voters or the council move forward in the future; the stipends and outdoor-learning funding provide immediate financial support to retain school leaders and reduce out-of-pocket teacher costs.
What’s next: The consultant-led study will produce findings on budgets, millage impacts and student enrollment patterns; the stipend and classroom-funding disbursements will be administered through Jefferson County Schools and the city’s educational budget as described in the resolutions.
