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Randolph County board discusses closing, consolidating schools as district seeks $4.5M–$5M in savings
Summary
At a special Randolph County Schools meeting, board member Ed Daniels urged community-focused consolidation and warned of safety risks from long bus routes, while district leaders and finance staff outlined an aggressive plan to reach $4.5M–$5M in savings, proposed retrofit and new-construction options, and scheduled public hearings and a survey.
The Randolph County Schools board met in a special session to discuss a proposed school reorganization aimed at closing or consolidating underused buildings as the district confronts declining enrollment and a multi‑million-dollar budget gap.
Board member Ed Daniels, who identified himself as a board member, presented a community-centered consolidation plan and repeatedly flagged student transportation and safety as central concerns. "Safe transit is very important," Daniels said, describing mountainous routes and recounting a bus‑driver fatality he had witnessed to illustrate the risks of longer routes. Daniels proposed moving some fifth graders into nearby middle schools, virtualizing portions of the Alternative Learning Center (ALC) program, and selling underused buildings such as Beverly and North to help raise revenue.
District leadership responded that Daniels' ideas have "some merit" but warned they are short‑term fixes that probably will not solve a multiyear structural deficit. Dr. Dilley, speaking for the leadership team, said…
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