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June 17, 2008


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NEWS

County Hopes to Fund Carroll Academy One More Year

By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com

HUNTINGDON - Carroll County officials are trying to save Carroll Academy, even if it is downsized and only for one more year. The state of Tennessee has assured the county the $858,512 grant from the Tennessee Department of Children's Services will not renewed because of major reduction in federal funds coming to the state.

Kenny McBride, mayor of Carroll County, said he and juvenile court officials are soliciting financial support from the affected school systems, county governments, and private donations to keep the school open. The mayor said he hopes to better know the status of funding by the end of this week. Without significant financial participation, the school could close June 30, the end of the fiscal year.

The school, currently serving 101 students in grades 6-12, educates high-risk students who have been removed from traditional schools in five counties and placed in Carroll Academy by court order. It opened in September 1994 in an 8,000 square-foot portion of the Carroll County Office Complex on High Street, Huntingdon. It is a state custody prevention intervention program for at-risk juveniles as a cost-effective measure to reduce the extremely high rate of juvenile court commitments in the counties of Carroll, Henderson, Henry, Weakley and Benton. Students attend year-round and enjoy a low student/teacher ratio. Students receive counseling, individual attention, and return each evening to their families or guardians.

The county of Carroll has indicated its wiliness to provide the facility free, foregoing the $40,000 annual rent just to keep the school open, at least for one more year. However, the number of students may be greatly reduced if the other counties do not fund the school.

The license to operate the school comes through the Department of Mental Health, which has indicated that the license will remain intact if the school continues to operate.

Since its opening, Carroll Academy has served over 3,000 juveniles, many of whom would have been committed to DCS state custody. Carroll Academy has a 96 percent daily average attendance rate with zero dropouts. The school averages six to 12 high school graduates each year with a 90 percent GED passing rate, making it one of the most successful GED programs in the state. The school averages 42 Child and Family Team meetings per month, which equates to 504 per year or 7,056 since Carroll Academy opened.

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June 17, 2008