The Decatur School Board on May 9 approved the $4.4 million purchase of 2.9 acres from the Decatur Housing Authority.

As part of the purchase agreement, City Schools of Decatur has agreed that any school built there would serve all students in Decatur, not just students living in public housing. The property is located between Commerce Drive and Electric Avenue, south of Trinity Place, and north of DHA’s Allen Wilson and Oliver House properties. It’s across the street from CSD’s central office.

The school system intends to build an early childhood learning center on the property, if it’s needed. In the meantime, the space will become a public amenity.

The meeting is ongoing. Later this evening, the School Board will consider a proposal to reconfigure the city’s elementary schools. The two options are:

1) Turn all of City Schools of Decatur’s current K-3 schools into K-2 schools, make the 4th and 5th grade Academy a 3-5 school and build a second 3-5 school. Another notable aspect of this plan would be retaining College Heights as an early childhood learning center.

2)  Keep the current K-3 configuration while building a new 4-5 Academy and build a new early childhood learning center.

Here is the full press release about the purchase from CSD:

CSD_DHA Agreement_May9