Maya Quinn, Managing Editor
Tuesday, June 2nd, Brandi Jones gathered fellow guardians and citizens concerned about the future of the Greene County School System. Her goal is to mobilize citizens in each county district to inform parents about how the school system operates and why it’s their responsibility to push for change. Newly elected board of education member Willie Ester Davis of District 4 was present for the inaugural meeting.
According to the Alabama Association of School Boards (AASB) snapshot for 2024, Greene County Schools rank 24th in state funding received per student ($8,891), 13th in local funding ($6,437), and 9th in federal funding ($5,643). Yet with an estimated 889 students in the district, the school system still ended the fiscal year with $19,145,000 of debt.
A school system’s revenue is calculated from funds contributed from state revenue (42%), local taxes (31%), and federal funding (27%). While the state percentage in the largest piece of the pie, only 10% is available for non-personnel expenditures. Local revenue contributions depend on citizens in the county who own property (houses, cars, etc), and federal funding only supplements state and local funding, often operating under a reimbursement model. By the numbers, Greene County‘s citizens have the greatest impact on school revenue that can be spent on improvements.
As a parent with a child attending Robert Brown Middle School, Jones has witnessed the spread of misinformation regarding the quality of education and school policies. Many citizens have relied on negative anecdotes regarding school board proceedings, which ultimately overshadows the truth. “One of the main goals I want is for us to be educated.” Jones began, “A lot of parents are saying they don’t know, which is why we need to encourage them to attend meetings such as this… We want to encourage parents to get involved in their child’s schooling. That’s our biggest vision.”
Jones also emphasized the importance of proper decorum when bringing issues to the board of education. Members will serve as ambassadors and liaisons for parents, especially those who are unable to attend school board meetings. Mrs. Willie Esther Austin, Dollarhide Volunteer Fire Department’s 2023 firefighter of the year, extended similar sentiments for the alliance. “We have to speak positively about our school system,” Austin stated as she encouraged members of the alliance to meet anger with kindness and redirect disrespect towards school board personnel. Attendees also discussed offering the truancy officer and other educational departments support whenever possible.
The alliance hopes to involve any members of the community, regardless of whether they have children or not. “I have a vision for members to be active for our children,” Jones stated. “ We’re [all] gonna have to be involved…When we come back in three months, we should see results.”
The Greene Means Go parent alliance will meet quarterly to assess progress with goals from their respective communities. For more information about the alliance, contact Brandi Jones at (205) 531-9111
Related articles on our website: “School Board reviews Greene County School System’s AASB 2023 snapshot data.”
Related links: Greene County AASB 2024 Snapshot
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