Note: this is an opinion item.

In 2013, around 90% of the Collierville voters that turned out voted ‘YES’ on the referendum question on whether to create an independent school district in Collierville. With that vote (and the resolution of some frivolous lawsuits on the matter) Collierville took ownership of the education of its school-aged children. This was a perfect fit for a town whose seal has always boasted four pillars for the community: Industry – Community – Growth – Education. It is part of the vision of our town.

In Novermber of 2013, five school board members were elected, and Collierville Schools became a reality. The goal for the immediate future was ‘Operational, then Aspirational,’ reflecting a need to be practical and pragmatic first, in order to be ready to open the doors to students at the start of the ’14-’15 school year.

As the first operational school year for Collierville Schools draws to a close, many are the victories that should be celebrated.

However, a significant issue is pressing up on Collierville Schools: Capacity.

For anyone paying the slightest attention to Collierville Schools enrollment, one thing has been clear from the start: capacity is an issue. Not “will be an issue…” No, it IS an issue today. The high school is at capacity. One middle school is at capacity, and the other middle school is close to capacity. One of the reasons behind this was the zoning for schools in the county which had some Collierville residents attending school outside municipal borders in schools that are now part of the Germantown School District. Additionally, Collierville is a growth community. The population of Collierville has seen a lot of growth, and more is projected into the future.

The High School

When considering capacity issues at the High School first (where the most pressing issue exists), the numbers are clear: 2300 students at the start of the ’15-’16 school year in a building designed for 2000. 2800 students by the year ’17-’18. This growth requires action, and requires action to come fast. Stop-gap options such as floating teachers (who move from classroom to classroom when the assigned teacher has a planning hour), and the use of ‘portable’ classrooms (trailers, temporary classrooms, annexes, whatever you want to call them) will only provide some relief, and will not be sustainable past the first couple of years of attendance growth. They also do not address the infrastructure issues that arise from even more students making use of the grounds and facilities, including hallways, cafeteria, library, gyms, parking lots, etc.

Expansion at the current site of the school (essentially into the ‘vacant’ land to the west of the school) is not really feasible due to the history of that land as a landfill in the past. Environmental and structural issues will mean this is a high-cost and high-risk solution, and it will only address the high school capacity issue. Building a second high school will also only address the high school issue, and it will cause a division of resources across the two (competing) schools in the district. The division that will be created between the two schools is easy to imagine based on the (perceived) quality of the facilities, where teachers will be better, sports offerings, etc. And we will still be left with the need to address the middle school capacity issue.

Building one new high school for all of Collierville will improve community cohesion and solve both the high school and middle school capacity issues, as the old high school facility will revert back to being a middle school (and leave room for other educational uses on the same campus).

With ownership comes responsibility.

Whether they acknowledge it or not… the Collierville Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) has to take action. By law, they are the authority over the school board, and the funding authority, even though the majority of actual funding comes from state and county sources. The responsibility for the cost of facilities for the school system does fall on the Collierville BMA. Collierville’s electorate has chosen to call for ownership of the local schools and the educational responsibility and put it in the hands of the BMA, who have put day-to-day administration with the Collierville School Board.

Now, Collierville’s School Board, and the Rock Star Superintendent that all of Collierville loves, are asking for a necessary investment. The investment is needed to urgently address current issues, as well as to allow for healthy future growth. Collierville voters are represented by an excellent school board and administration (I have been watching from up close for quite a while now), and we should realize this is not something they will ask for lightly. The studies have been done, the pros and cons have been weighed, the options have been presented.

If an elected official (I am talking to you, Aldermen) does not think they have enough information to make a sound decision, then why would they expect the voters to be able to get enough information to make that decision for them. You were elected to be their representative, now you have to step up to the plate and show your voters you are up for the responsibility. You should be able to rely on the duly elected school board and the rock star superintendent and his administration to have presented you with the best option for Collierville. The right choice. Making the right choice should not be that hard. You just need to have the courage to lead, like you told the electorate you would.

A note about the ‘T’ word.

Yes, a new school will require money to build. And a municipality will have to rely largely on taxes for its income. The reality of the financial market dictates that town revenues have to be raised by a specific amount to ensure the best terms for the loan (bonds) can be obtained. So yes, taxes (property taxes) have to be raised to cover this investment. But the reality is: the projected tax increase at hand will be around $200 per year for the owner of a $250,000 home. That’s $17 per month. And a tax-deductible $17 at that…

Cost

We have students, we need buildings… There will always be a cost. Right now, throw-away cost is being added to the new school year budget for portable classrooms for a school that will be over capacity even with those new portables (to be put in use for ’16-’17 school year). That is not an investment, that’s buying time. At a high cost. Keeping Collierville Schools in an uncertain future will come at a cost of having people move elsewhere. It will come at a cost of a less-than-ideal environment for our students. And when we’re done kicking the can down the road, we will still need to fulfill our ownership commitment, and eventually make that right decision… and it will have cost us a lot more to get there.

Final thoughts (for now).

We cannot build on the ‘best school district in the state’ (or county) if we cannot provide our students with the basics: adequate space for a learning environment. I have seen the many comments on social media about things Collierville parents want from their schools. Those things will be irrelevant if we don’t have enough space for our students.
Please take a minute and send your Mayor and Aldermen a note to thank them for supporting Collierville Schools, and to urge them to have the courage to make the right decision, and to make that decision now.
Here is their contact information: