Jackson County board weighs three options for Jackson Community School as enrollment falls to 48

Jackson County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Leslie Ayers told the school board Wednesday that Jackson Community School (JCS), the district’s alternative education campus for grades 6–12, is operating with fewer than 50 students and the district has three possible paths forward.

"The number is 48," Ayers said when the board asked for the latest enrollment figures. District staff showed a multi‑year enrollment trend that peaked a decade ago at about 102 students and noted JCS served 88 students at some point during the 2023–24 school year, but the current, day‑to‑day population has fallen sharply.

Ayers framed three options for the board’s consideration: leave JCS in place and pursue a revitalized program; relocate the high‑school portion to Smoky Mountain High School and the middle‑school portion to Smoky Mountain Elementary while keeping JCS’s school code and identity; or keep the campus on‑site but redesign programming to draw more students.

Why enrollment has declined, Ayers and staff said, is multi‑faceted. Middle‑school students are placed at JCS through IEP teams or by superintendent placement and do not typically choose to attend, while high‑school students can opt in. Staff cited limited elective and CTE offerings at the current JCS campus as a deterrent for students transferring mid‑semester, and noted some students arrive from other districts with schedules that cannot be accommodated at JCS.

Board members and public speakers pressed for specifics about how the district would preserve the separate setting some students need. One board member asked whether, if relocated, students would be able to access more CTE classes or JROTC at Smoky Mountain High; staff said dual‑enrollment arrangements could allow JCS students access to band, JROTC and other offerings while remaining assigned to the community school.

Cost was a recurring concern. Ayers told the board that much of the current discussion began after staff identified a needed HVAC replacement at the JCS building. "We currently need an HVAC system, which is at a price tag of $450,000 to replace," Ayers said, noting that capital and operating costs factor into the relocation discussion.

Several board members and speakers urged the district to consider the non‑financial value of a separate alternative setting. Dr. Dillard, speaking from experience running alternative programs, described instruction that emphasizes hands‑on learning and community partnerships and said such a model can reintegrate disengaged students and produce graduates with real workforce skills.

Members of the public, including former students and parents, urged the board not to dismantle a program many described as a safe, trauma‑informed environment. "The school was the best decision that was ever made," one parent said of her child’s placement at the community school and credited JCS staff with helping the student graduate.

Ayers closed the presentation by reiterating the meeting was informational; no decision was made Wednesday. He asked the board whether staff should gather additional information and said he would ask Principal Joey Robinson to prepare a tentative space plan showing how JCS programming could fit at Smoky Mountain if relocation is to be considered before the January meeting.

Next steps: staff will pull requested data, principals will be asked whether their schools have middle‑school students who might benefit from an alternative setting, and the board is expected to continue discussion at future meetings before any action is taken.