Fairhope is asking residents for their input after officials say a study showed it could be financially possible to separate from Baldwin County Public Schools and create a separate, independent city school system.

According to a press release from the City of Fairhope on Thursday, Aug. 6, the city has completed a six-month feasibility study, conducted by Criterion K-12 Consulting Group, to determine if it would be financially feasible for Fairhope to leave the countywide school district and establish its own, like Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have each done. The city says recent discussions were prompted, in part, by a group of parents who commissioned a self-funded school feasibility study through the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA).

The city has stated that no decision on a separation has been made and that the topic will be further discussed with officials and the public.

“It is important to emphasize that Fairhope officials are pleased with the performance of our schools,” the press release states. “Fairhope has outstanding teachers, dedicated administrators, supportive parents and students who consistently perform at a high level. This discussion is not a criticism of our schools or the people who make them successful.”

The idea of creating a city school system is not a new discussion in Fairhope.

“The two reasons most often cited by residents are the desire for greater local control over educational decisions and the opportunity to improve and expand athletic facilities," the release continues.

In 2015, the Fairhope Advisory Committee explored the possibility, asking city council, then under the leadership of Mayor Tim Kant, to back a study considering three options: breaking away and going independent, creating a special tax district to boost revenues for Fairhope schools or remaining in the Baldwin County school system. A decision to separate was not made then.

At that time, both Gulf Shores and Orange Beach were still part of the county district. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach split from the county in 2019 and 2022 respectively.

In 2023, Fairhope parents and city officials met and discussed the possibility again. Baldwin County Board of Education Chief Financial Officer John Wilson said at the time that Fairhope splitting would likely impact the city in a negative way, presenting data that while the 3-mill tax revenue for Fairhope was at $3.5 million, that revenue would decrease to $2 million if the city were to go their own way with a new independent school system.

Fairhope also mentioned concerns about their freedom to invest in the schools located within their city limits.

“Local officials were often told that the county could not support improvements to facilities unless similar investments could be made throughout the county,” the release says. “While understandable from a countywide perspective, this philosophy frequently prevented communities with the financial ability and willingness to invest more heavily in their own schools from doing so. For this reason, approximately five years ago, the Baldwin County Public School System proposed the creation of 3-mill tax districts. Fairhope became the first municipality in Baldwin County to adopt a 3-mill district, approving the agreement without a single revision. Fairhope voters then approved the measure with the highest margin of support of any 3-mill district in the county.”

The city said the Fairhope Public Schools Commission, working alongside school principals, determines how local funds are invested, saying the program has “made a meaningful difference by providing resources that directly benefit our students, teachers and schools.” They also said the Baldwin County Board of Education has approached Fairhope regarding possible partnerships to invest in the city's athletic facilities, saying they “appreciate the willingness to have those conversations and view them as a positive development.”

Baldwin County Public Schools, which ranks among the largest in the state of Alabama, recently underwent a leadership change with Marty McRae being named permanent superintendent on July 16 following the retirement of Eddie Tyler and a stint as interm.

"We are the third largest school system in the state, but we value each of our feeder patterns equally," McRae said in a statement provided to GCM. "Partnerships with our cities are very important to us and we would be very disappointed to lose our Fairhope partnership. We appreciate the support we’ve received from the city and know they are happy with the services we provide. We do plan on joining the city for the public meeting on the 18th to help with any questions the city or citizens may have."

Fairhope announced a series of public meetings to be held at City Council Chambers in the Fairhope Civic Center to discuss the topic with locals. The first meeting will take place on Aug 18 at 5:30 p.m., followed by meetings on Aug 23 at 5:30 p.m. and Sep 9 at 5:30 p.m.

The city is also conducting a survey on their website and has created an email, fairhopecityschools@fairhopeal.com, for residents to submit comments and feedback. A summary of the public input received during the process will be presented to the Fairhope City Council during their Sep 28 meeting.