State-mandated consolidation study for Asheville, Buncombe schools set to begin in April

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Earlier this week, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved a consolidation study involving Asheville City and Buncombe County schools. The study will begin in April and wrap up before the end of 2024.

The request for the study came from the state General Assembly. It was a condition of giving flexibility to Buncombe County Schools when drawing its new electoral district maps.

“In the revised statute, there was the stipulation that this study be done,” Buncombe County Schools Superintendent Dr. Rob Jackson said. “That came as a surprise to us because the desire for this did not come at the local level. Consolidation has been a conversation in Buncombe County for as long as I’ve been alive.”

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Now, the county is taking more than $300,000 out of its general funding, which wasn’t expected.

“It’s certainly a tough position to receive a mandate from the state on work that doesn’t have the funding to cover the cost of that work,” County Strategic Partnerships Director Rachael Sawyer said.

The county will be assisted by two committees from both schools.

ACS and BCS will be responsible for providing statistics with categories like enrollment, finances, facilities and academics. Prismatic Services Inc., based out of Charlotte, will be collecting the data.

“We have a parent, teacher, principal and staff members who are all a part of that project team to ensure that all of the voices that need to be heard are going to during that process,” Jackson said.

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However, officials from the school districts and the county are emphasizing that a study doesn’t necessarily mean action.

“At this time, it’s only a study,” Sawyer said. “We’re looking at the feasibility and implications of what would it be if these two districts became one.”

“We will certainly do everything we can to cooperate with the study, ensure we’re informing the public, but we’re not going to lose sight of our ultimate goal,” Jackson said. “That’s making sure students reach their fullest potential.”

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There will be parent and public input sessions throughout the study. However, it’s unknown when those will take place.

A timeline of the process:

• November 2023 - Study comes as a requirement for Buncombe’s Electoral Maps amendment
• March 2024 - Buncombe commissioners approve the study with a $300,000 budget through Prismatic Services Inc.
• April 1, 2024 - Study begins
• December 2024 - Study concludes
• February 2025 - Results due back to General Assembly