Bessemer City Schools is on track to start its school year under state oversight.

Weeks after receiving an ultimatum from state officials, board members voted unanimously Monday evening to approve a resolution to “fully acknowledge, agree and consent” to state intervention. If a takeover is approved by the state school board, intervention would start as soon as Aug. 9 – the first week of classes for Bessemer City.

“We are not required to adopt this resolution,” Board President Lee Jones said before the vote. “However I believe that doing so will send a strong positive signal to both the state superintendent and to our community that underscores our commitment as a board to enhancing our organization’s efficiency and effectiveness in ways that will lead to significantly improved educational outcomes for our students.”

On July 3, board members received a letter from State Superintendent Eric Mackey threatening takeover if the district did not resolve major financial and governance issues. The system, located just west of Birmingham, enrolls about 3,000 students.

Mackey said he had been aware of problems in the district for a couple of years, but was spurred to take action after reviewing the district’s latest audit. AL.com has asked for a copy of the audit, which has not been made public yet.

“Things were as bad as I thought they were, and maybe a little worse,” Mackey told AL.com in a recent interview.

The school board had a lengthy meeting with state officials July 17, where Mackey fielded questions and ultimately recommended state intervention.

“I felt really good about it,” Mackey said of the meeting. “I think the majority of them understand what I understand and that’s that Bessemer needs some help, some outside assistance, and that we can lend that assistance. And I think they’re very open to that.”

“I know they wish they were not in this position; nobody wants to be taken over by the state,” he continued. “But I think they also understand we’re to this place, and let’s go ahead and take the help the state’s offering. Let’s work together to improve outcomes for students.”

On Monday, board members described the possible intervention as a “partnership” where there was room for both parties to work together.

“We are committed to ensuring that our students and staff have what they need to be successful, so if that’s working with the state department, we will be working with them cooperatively to make sure that they have what they need to help us be successful,” Board Vice President Terry Dawson told reporters after the vote.

How would a takeover work?

The announcement Monday means that the board will no longer have to submit an action plan to the state, which would have been due on Thursday, July 25. Mackey will instead submit a recommendation to take over the district to the state school board at its Aug. 8 meeting.

If approved by the state school board, intervention work will begin the next morning, Mackey said. He will first appoint a chief administrative officer to oversee day-to-day matters and issues in need of urgent attention.

Last week, board members stalled key roofing and HVAC repairs due to disagreements over board policy. A recent facilities evaluation by Volkert showed severe roof leaks, air conditioning and heating issues and that buildings were not in compliance with federal law.

“Some of the real issues that we’ve seen in Bessemer deal with their financial matters, the work done on the buildings, so we’re going to get the people we need to ensure that happens as quickly as possible,” Mackey said.

Once an intervention is in place, the state superintendent has the authority to hire staff and make other finance and operations decisions for the school district. Alabama’s Students First Act, however, requires the department to follow a strict procedure if it wishes to remove or terminate any personnel.

Mackey said he plans to involve the local board as much as possible in big decisions, and doesn’t intend to do much additional hiring. The state department, however, will likely handle the district’s current search for a chief school finance officer, which leaders are hoping to wrap up before classes start.

“If the local board wants to be involved in the process, we would welcome their involvement,” Mackey said. “But ultimately, there won’t be any local politics going on. We will absolutely find and hire a highly qualified person.”

Superintendent Dana Arreola, who was hired last year, will stay in place. Mackey said the department has “no intention to buy out her contract.”

Arreola told AL.com Monday that the district is moving forward with a construction plan, but does not expect all of the roofing and HVAC repairs to be completed before the new school year begins. Six of the 10 items on the district’s capital plan are currently underway, she added.

She said there are no current updates on the CSFO search.

“What I want parents to rest assured and know is that we’re always going to make decisions that are in the best interest of students,” she said. “We’re looking forward to seeing them here for this upcoming school year and providing them with a quality education in a safe school environment. That is our commitment, and we’re going to hold true to that.”

A tipping point

If approved by the state school board, this will be the third school district takeover under Mackey’s supervision. Montgomery’s takeover lasted from 2017 to 2021. Officials intervened in Sumter County last summer.

Mackey said he has kept a close watch on Bessemer for a “number of months,” and has shared concerns with Arreola and former superintendent Autumm Jeter, who is now an assistant superintendent with the state department. Jeter will not be involved with the Bessemer intervention, he said.

After a meeting with state officials this winter, Mackey said he asked the state examiner to conduct a financial audit of the district. He said the findings prompted his letter to board members.

State takeovers are a last resort, Mackey said, and typically come after a number of efforts to remediate problems. No other districts are in danger of intervention at this time, he said.

“Sometimes the last stage is when we reach a place where I just determine that the best thing to do is to intervene,” he said. “We never want to get to that place. We do massive amounts of work with school districts every day to avoid that. But sometimes, the option is the best option on the table.”