A complete education
Editor’s note: This is one in a series of articles marking the 50th Anniversary of Hartselle City Schools.
In a July 17, 1986 article in the Hartselle Enquirer entitled “Parents Appeal to School Board,” it was explained that 11 parents attended a school board meeting in order to contest a decision to turn away 19 students enrolling in Hartselle City Schools for the first time. Most of these students were first-graders.
Then-Superintendent Dr. Lee Hartsell was quoted as saying, “We have a higher enrollment than we’ve ever had at Burleson and at Crestline, and I don’t perceive that the problem will get any better.” One of the 11 parents in attendance felt strongly that if the school district could not accommodate every student who applied, it should reject the application of every out-of-district student.
But then-Board Member Barry Halford explained that the goal of the district was to allow students to complete their years with Hartselle once enrolled with Hartselle.
“That’s why we need constraints at the entry- level grades.” And true enough, out-of-district students who had been enrolled at the end of the 1985-1986 school year remained enrolled in the 1986-1987 school year.
At the time, State funds for those students who did not reside within the city limits were allowing HCS to continue employing the teachers on its payroll even in the face of five percent proration. Years later, Hartselle began charging yearly tuition to those residing outside the city limits.
Then and now, school and district leaders work with the board to balance overcrowding against under-funding in order to keep teachers and resources in place for students. In 1986 there were still communities just outside the city limits that were considering annexation, and school leaders had to consider how they would serve those students should annexation occur and should those students suddenly become Hartselle residents whose education would be guaranteed.
It was in 1986 that the school district developed a priority policy for entry that is largely still in effect in 2025. The children of employees who live out of district are given priority to ensure that employees can arrive to work on time. Younger siblings of students already enrolled in the district are given priority so that families are not required to travel between two school districts in order to drop off or pick up their children. And the earlier grades still typically allow more new enrollees than do the upper grades. Though no guarantees can be made to the parents of outof district students, the district still endeavors to allow enrolled students to complete their education in Hartselle.
And though current school and district leaders and current school board members are not wrestling with the identical problems that were on the table in 1986, they continue to work through similar issues. What if the funding decreases? What about funding that is earmarked for specific purposes or has expiration dates? What if the earmarked funding has a local funding match requirement? What is the age of facilities? Of textbooks? Of tech? Of classroom desks and tables? Of program equipment? Is the district employing enough teachers and other staff to meet students’ needs? You get the picture….
New students and new teachers and new leaders continue to bring new energy to these and other issues. Just as was the case 50 years ago, HCS wants students who complete their education in Hartselle to indeed receive a complete education.
