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Board approves plan to build two transition academies with $750,000 budget instead of single property purchase
Summary
After debating buying a Smyrna property listed at $750,000 to house a transition academy, the board approved a motion to allocate $750,000 to build two transition academy sites on district land (Smyrna Middle and Whitworth/Buchanan), aiming to increase capacity and reduce long‑term lease costs.
The school board approved on Dec. 11 a plan to allocate $750,000 toward building Transition Academy facilities on district‑owned properties at Smyrna Middle and Whitworth/Buchanan, after discussing whether to purchase an existing house at 300 Maple St. in Smyrna priced at $750,000.
District staff reported the listed property could be made functional with modest accessibility improvements and might be nearly turnkey for a north‑end Transition Academy. "The house itself is in good shape," said a facilities staff member (Trey Lee) during the presentation, noting ramp and inspection items.
But several board members argued two purpose‑built smaller facilities would better serve more students across the county and avoid long‑term maintenance costs of older homes. "The two locations would serve more kids in Rutherford County," a staff presenter said, estimating 16–20 students per smaller facility and describing program needs (kitchen space, meeting rooms, exterior access for vans and buses).
After debate, the board voted to build Transition Academy sites at Smyrna Middle and Whitworth/Buchanan with a combined budget of $750,000 and instructed staff to move forward with design work, subject to later budget amendments and county funding approval. The vote included direction to explore design and potential phased leasing options to accelerate service delivery if needed.
Why it matters: Transition Academy is a specialized two‑year program serving students with disabilities transitioning to community and workforce skills. Current capacity is small (12 students under a lease at MTSU); building district facilities aims to increase capacity and control costs.
Next steps: Staff will develop designs to meet the $750,000 budget, report timelines (estimated 12–18 months for new construction) and pursue any required budget amendments to move capital funding from unassigned fund balance to an approved project account.
