Randolph County board discusses closing, consolidating schools as district seeks $4.5M–$5M in savings

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 relocating central office operations and moving network infrastructure could add "between $500,000 to $1,000,000" in costs and emphasized the need for a longer‑term capital plan that could include a new middle school sized to accept additional students in future years. "If we do not take aggressive measures, someone's gonna take them for us," Dr. Dilley said, urging the board to weigh both short‑ and long‑term consequences.

Finance and operations staff outlined preliminary numbers that underpin the proposal. A staff report noted a staffing 'overage' in the county derived from state department figures — roughly $2.8 million — and officials described a planning target of about $4.5 million to $5 million in reductions or savings when accounting for additional operational costs and recent enrollment shifts. Staff cautioned that closing a facility does not automatically yield the full projected savings if many staff positions must move to other locations; payroll and position seniority can reduce net operational savings.

Leaders described multiple phases of consolidation being considered. Under the plan discussed, an initial phase could include closing Pickens and Harmon and shifting students to nearby schools, with further consolidations (including Colton) considered in later years if enrollment continues to decline. Dr. Dilley said construction of a new middle school large enough to eventually absorb other secondary students could occur as early as 2029 or as late as 2040 depending on enrollment trends.

Officials also raised programmatic and legal concerns about moving the ALC program entirely to a virtual model, citing requirements for Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and FAPE (free appropriate public education) that could create legal exposure if certain students lacked adequate in‑person services. The leadership team said a mixed model with some in‑person options would be preferable to reduce those risks.

To gather community input, the district will post a survey on the Randolph County Schools website and Facebook page and tentatively scheduled consolidation hearings for September 23 (later corrected in the meeting to October 14 and October 28 plus an additional tentative date). Staff said they expect to finalize a plan for submission to the state by the November deadline.

The board discussed revenue ideas raised by Daniels, including local taxes on natural resource extraction and a proposed 1% local sales surcharge, but legal and practical hurdles were noted by members and staff as significant barriers to implementing those revenue options quickly.

The meeting closed after further procedural discussion and a motion to adjourn; the board confirmed future meeting dates on the calendar. The administration said it will produce impact statements and more detailed financial breakdowns ahead of the public hearings so the community and the board can review projected operational and staffing implications before any formal votes.

Next steps: the district will publish the community survey, release preliminary impact documents, and hold the scheduled public hearings before any consolidation decisions are finalized.