Anniston delays school consolidation

The Anniston Board of Education Tuesday reversed its earlier decision to save money by closing two schools.

The board cited delays in receiving federal approval and insufficient time to prepare parents before students returned to class in August as why it voted to rescind its May decision to close Cobb Elementary and Constantine Elementary. School officials said they expect to quickly revise the consolidation plan and have the board vote again in the coming months to close the two schools next year.

Superintendent Darren Douthitt said during Tuesday’s regular meeting he also was disappointed that consolidation could not proceed this year. Douthitt said he'd have a schedule prepared in a couple of months on how the schools could be consolidated and when next year so the board could quickly revote and get the process started.

The board had discussed consolidating the system for the last two years before voting to close the two schools in May to save money in the face of declining enrollment. The plan was contingent on a U.S. District Court judge's approval though.

Approval is needed to ensure the school system is complying with federal desegregation requirements. Anniston has not yet achieved unitary status, which would take it out from under federal oversight of its enrollment-related operations.

The board's attorney said in a meeting earlier this month that by the time a federal judge approved the closing plan, there wouldn't be enough time to fully inform parents where to send their kids before the school year started.