The Jacksonville/ North Pulaski County School District is discussing the purchase of twelve school campuses and a bus lot from the Pulaski County Special School District.
PCSSD Superintendent Jerry Guess says the possible $11 million sale is part of the separation of Jacksonville from the district, approved by voters in November. Jacksonville plans to operate its schools alone by July of next year.
“The 2015/16 school year will be a critical year in preparation for that stand alone date. A lot has to be done,” said Guess. “Jacksonville has to create salary schedules and determine what size staff, both dates, who they want to hire,” he added.
Leaders of the Jacksonville School District are hopeful it will qualify for state financial aid for new facilities, including the construction of a high school and a middle school. According to Guess, both districts are taking the process one step at a time.
“It’s just a matter of finding out how to staff the schools, how to approach the issue of staffing between the schools. The board organization plan that the Jacksonville/North Pulaski District Proposed,” he said.
“A lot of things that are not surprising because you really didn’t know what to expect,” said Guess.
Both PCSSD and Jacksonville are subject to court supervision through a 1989 desegregation lawsuit that requires them to improve in a variety of areas, including facilities, before being released from monitoring.
Jacksonville Interim Superintendent Bobby Lester declined to comment about the possible purchase.
