Murphy – Cherokee County appears to have been shut out in its quest for up to $50 million in funding for a consolidated high school – at least for now.
While Cherokee County Schools Superintendent Jeana Conley said she has not received any official notification about the status of her system’s grant application, those who did receive funding apparently received an email notification at the same time on the same day
“I’m assuming at this point we didn’t get it because I’m watching all my friends who did (get funds) celebrate,” Conley said.
“We were told there will be an official press release sometime this week, and after that we would be able to request a formal debrief of our application, where we ranked on the rubric and what assets were there or not. I’ve actually gone ahead and requested that formal debrief just because I heard that was coming.”
According to Conley, 28 school systems received money out of the 78 who applied for funding from a pool of $395 million available from the state. The needs-based grant is intended to be recurring and future funding remains possible for Cherokee County, potentially even later this year.
Conley said those in public education are accustomed to being in limbo when it comes to funding.
“The board of education did a study, formed a plan and the plan itself is intact – and just like a lot of other things going on in the world right now, awaiting funding from whatever source,” Conley said. “When this plan was voted on, there was no grant.
“The important thing is that it’s not just about brick and mortar, it’s about the programs that are offered to students and all students having access to the same great opportunities. It’s beyond the buildings.”
Neighboring Clay County received $32 million for a new middle school. Clay is designated a Tier 2 county, while Cherokee is a Tier 1 county. Tier 1 counties are considered the “most distressed.”
“I’m thrilled for our neighbors in Clay County,” Conley said. “They’re a great school system.
“They’re very solidified in the way they approach things and the way they offer things to their students. But, of course, anytime we don’t receive something like this, it’s disappointing for our students and particularly our taxpayers, because our taxpayers are the ones who are going to have to pony up solutions instead of receiving it from the competitive grant with the state.”