It’s been one week since the City of Gulf Shores voted to create its own city school system. Now the question is: What comes next?
Plans for the new independent school system are set to be finalized next spring and will go into effect the following fall. The first order of business will be to appoint a school board. Applications for the five-member board are now available as of today. Plans are for that board to be introduced at the Gulf Shores City Council meeting November 27.
Blake Phelps is the Economic Development Director for the City of Gulf Shores. He says one big issue is determining who exactly will be zoned for the new city schools.
“We have somewhat of a unique situation where we have some unincorporated areas that are still in the county, but very close proximity to Gulf Shores -- whether that be Fort Morgan, or other areas around Gulf Shores -- that currently go to our schools. What happens with those kids and where they end up attending school is something that is, honestly, to be determined.”
Phelps says determining school zoning largely falls to Baldwin County and the Alabama Department of Education.