Created and distributed in partnership by the Pell City Schools Board of Education and the City of Pell City for the purposes of informing the general public on a Nov. 5 referendum that could impact the voting population of the St. Clair County Schools’ Board of Education and the governance of the Pell City Schools’ Boards of Education.
Nothing contained herein intends to advocate in favor of or against the local ballot measure. The information is provided for the purpose of informing members of the public about the upcoming election, providing objective analysis or factual information about the local ballot measure, and encouraging citizens to vote.
Contents
- What is the history of Local Amendment 1?
- How will the Amendment read on the ballot?
- How did elected officials decide to offer citizens a choice for an appointed BOE?
- What are the other possible benefits?
- How will Local Amendment 1 impact school funding?
- How are the City’s elected leaders preparing?
- How will this strengthen the Board of Education’s relationship with the City?
- How will an appointed Board strengthen Pell City Schools?
What is the history of Local Amendment 1?
Local Amendment 1, introduced as Senate Bill 141 by Sen. Lance Bell during the 2024 legislative session, was drafted in response to requests from both the Pell City Board of Education and the St. Clair County Board of Education. It finalizes the separation of Pell City Schools from St. Clair County Schools, which began more than 40 years ago.
The City of Pell City created the Pell City School System in 1982, and the members of the Board of Education were appointed by the City Council. In founding the system, the Council agreed to retain the existing students who lived beyond the boundaries of its City Limits. However, dating back to the public discussions in 1981, residents outside the City Limits voiced concerns over their lack of representation on the Pell City Schools Board of Education. (Click to see a map highlighting the Pell City City Limits and the Pell City Attendance Zone).
In the four decades that followed, those residents who attend Pell City Schools but live outside City Limits were not eligible to serve on the Pell City Board of Education. All five members of the Board are still selected from within the City Limits of Pell City, just as they were in 1982. Today, the issue of representation for these residents who make up an increasing portion of the student population is more important than ever.
In 2021, through legislative action enacted in 2019, the Board designated a large area of southern St. Clair County where approximately 28,000 residents reside as the “Pell City Tax District and Attendance Zone (view 2021 maps here).” In doing so, Board members committed to providing representation to those residents who live outside the City Limits. This resulted in a new educational property tax on residents, which was approved via majority vote.
Pell City Schools explored numerous solutions. Act 2024-111 (Local Amendment 1) now presents the public with a choice for the best path forward for the System at this time.
Local Amendment 1 addresses this issue of representation on the Pell City Board of Education for the Attendance Zone. It provides that the City Council would appoint all seats of the BOE, with at least two of those seats filled by residents from outside the City Limits of Pell City. The bill will appear on the Nov. 5 General Election Ballot in St. Clair County as an amendment for public approval.
Read Article: “Pell City Board of Education approves support for appointed board members”
Read Resolution: PCBOE Resolution Supporting Act 2024-111 (Local Amendment 1)
Read Resolution: SCCBOE Resolution Supporting Act 2024-111 (Local Amendment 1)
How will the Amendment read on the ballot?
Local Amendment 1 will read as follows on ballots in St. Clair County:
“Relating to St. Clair County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to specify that only the qualified electors of St. Clair County who are served by the St. Clair County Board of Education may vote for the county superintendent of education and the members of the county board of education; to change the Pell City Board of Education from an elected to an appointed board; to specify that the appointed members of the Pell City Board of Education shall be qualified electors who reside within the Pell City School Attendance Zone and Tax District; and to specify that at least two members of the Pell City Board of Education shall reside within the county portion of the Pell City School Attendance Zone and Tax District.”
Proposed by Act 2024-111.
Yes( ) No( )
How did elected officials decide to offer citizens a choice for an appointed Board?
The Board of Education, in recognition of the longstanding need to provide a voice for residents of the Attendance Zone, researched many options before deciding to propose an appointed board. It is now prioritizing residents’ right to choose this path forward through a public referendum.
Attempting to address this 42-year-old issue, the Pell City Board of Education engaged the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPC) to evaluate feasible solutions. After a thorough review, RPC recommended the creation of an appointed Board of Education, which was written into the bill.
In an article published in the Daily Home on Jan. 26, 2024 titled “Pell City Board of Education approves support for appointed board members,” members of the Board described the months of research that went into the decision, and all five members voiced their support of the measure to allow citizens to vote on the issue.
“We’ve discussed this at great length,” Board Member Cecil Fomby is quoted as saying. “We wanted to reflect the community.” This measure is not only supported by leaders within the City Limits of Pell City, but it is also supported by the St. Clair County Board of Education.
What are other possible benefits?
Appointed boards of education may grant access to residents who have tremendous knowledge of both classroom operations and leadership of education systems. Many of these people are averse to running for political office, but they are willing – if not eager – to participate in an application and appointment process.
The landscape of public education is ever-changing, and the Board and City see a path through appointment to locate and engage with these individuals for the purpose of applying their expertise to the future of Pell City Schools.
According to US News & World Report, of the 10 top-performing high schools in the state of Alabama, 9 operate within systems that rely on appointed boards of education.
And in 2023, 10 of the 12 school systems in Alabama in which every school in the district earned an “A” on their Alabama State Department of Education Report Cards were governed by appointed Boards of Education.
Nothing contained herein intends to advocate in favor of or against the local ballot measure. The information is provided for the purpose of informing members of the public about the upcoming election, providing objective analysis or factual information about the local ballot measure, and encouraging citizens to vote.
How will Local Amendment 1 impact school funding?
The Pell City and St. Clair County Boards of Education have an agreement that ensures the ad valorem (property) tax collected in St. Clair County follows the student. The Pell City Board of Education receives property tax funding for students who attend Pell City Schools but who live in the County portion of the Attendance Zone.
In resolving representation issues that have existed since the formation of Pell City Schools, both Boards, together with the County Commission, are working on a similar agreement concerning the sales taxes collected for education in St. Clair County. This agreement is expected to provide the Pell City Board of Education with sales tax funding that follows the students from the Attendance Zone.
How are the City’s elected leaders preparing?
Prior to the introduction of Senate Bill 141, in an effort led by Council President Jud Alverson, the Mayor and Council contacted other leaders from across the state, specifically seeking input from those in successful systems whose Boards of Education are appointed by their City Councils.
Fact-finding conversations included leaders in Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, and Oxford who each represent a top-performing school district in the state. Each of these districts is governed by an appointed board.
In addition, City leaders reviewed the Board of Education appointment processes for other school systems in the State of Alabama, including Hoover, Trussville, Gulf Shores, and Guntersville.
From these reviews, and after engaging in conversations with the Pell City Board of Education, the City began developing its own process for soliciting and reviewing applications for Board members, as well as interviewing and appointing candidates.
How will this strengthen the Board of Education’s relationship with the City?
A city’s health and growth depend on the success of its school system, and the success of the schools and their students depends on the health of the city. The Alabama State Legislature designed City schools systems as mutual relationships in Alabama Code Title 16.
If the referendum passes, the appointed Pell City Board of Education will be governed by the Alabama State Department of Education, which advises Board members to select qualified, competent superintendents and to rely on them to make decisions that will best benefit staff and students.
Using a thorough application and appointment process, the City and Board will strive to build a unified team of policy makers that prioritizes excellence in all areas of Pell City Schools.
How might an appointed Board strengthen Pell City Schools?
Pell City’s students are entitled to the wealth of knowledge that exists in both the City Limits and the Attendance Zone. If the referendum passes, all parents who send their children to Pell City Schools would be eligible to use their experience and skills to serve in leadership positions.
Thanks to the vision of the members of the Pell City Board of Education, voters have an opportunity to open the door for new ideas and voices in the field of education that have remained inaccessible for four decades. Better still, for the first time since the system was created, the residents of the Attendance Zone will finally have a voting seat at the table.
What if this referendum does not pass?
if Local Amendment 1 does not pass, the City of Pell City and the Pell City Board of Education will continue to pursue excellence in serving the students and community.
The current methodology for electing board members who must reside within the city limits of Pell City would not change, and those citizens residing in the County portion of the Attendance Zone would remain ineligible to serve on the Pell City Board of Education and ineligible to vote on its members.”
Nothing contained herein intends to advocate in favor of or against the local ballot measure. The information is provided for the purpose of informing members of the public about the upcoming election, providing objective analysis or factual information about the local ballot measure, and encouraging citizens to vote.