Woodlawn Considers Career Ed Center Options

WOODLAWN - Three days after voters in the Woodlawn School District approved a 2-mill increase to fund construction of a new career education center and cafeteria expansion, the district learned Friday the state partnership money that was to help pay for the new career center was not among the projects listed to receive money this year. The district did receive funding to expand the school cafeteria.However, Superintendent Dr. Kevin Hancock and the Woodlawn School Board learned during a special-called meeting Tuesday evening that the district could still receive state partnership funding for the career center perhaps as early as next year.Last Friday, the Arkansas Division of Public School Facilities and Transportation released its list of partnership projects that would be funded through the current two-year cycle. Woodlawn received $395,3236.28 for the cafeteria expansion and was allotted $1,290,334.40 for the new career education center. However, there was not enough money in the state partnership fund to cover the state’s contribution toward the career education center.Hancock said the district’s 2-mill tax increase was based on the district receiving that state partnership money for the career education center. Since that money is currently not there, Hancock called the special board meeting Tuesday night to get the school board’s input. Scotty Holderfield, the school facilities consultant for the Southeast Arkansas Education Cooperative, and Jason Holsclaw of Stephens, Inc., the district’s financial adviser, were both at the meeting and offered their insight.Ultimately, the school board decided to accept the partnership funding for the school cafeteria while taking a wait-and-see approach with the state funding for the new career center.Woodlawn was informed last year that both the career center and cafeteria expansion were approved into the partnership program. While a project can be accepted i...