St. Clair County Schools looks for solutions to keep Ragland High School open

RAGLAND, Ala. ( WIAT ) — The fate of Ragland High School for the 2025-2026 school year is currently uncertain, putting students and parents on edge for what the future holds.

On the school’s campus, one building houses kindergarten through sixth-grade students while another serves the town’s seventh through twelfth grade. Roughly 380 students are currently enrolled, according to administration officials.

St. Clair County Schools Superintendent Dr. Justin Burns says the fall enrollment numbers were down by roughly 50 students in 2023, resulting in less state funding.

It’s gotten to the point where the school district is providing three teachers’ paychecks for next fall, which Dr. Burns says is not sustainable.

“Nobody really wants to be having this conversation,” Dr. Burns said. “The reality is that enrollment’s gotten to a place where we have to check sustainability.”

To keep the classroom doors open, Dr. Burns says the school needs to attract more students or consider looking at alternative funding sources.

“Ragland would need to pass an additional millage tax to help fund new teachers, to help supplement what we cannot get from the state,” Dr. Burns said.

Resident Ashley Bowlin, who helped to launch the Facebook page “Save Ragland High School,” believes voters would support funding the school if a motion was filed.

“If we knew it was dedicated to Ragland, we’d vote yes,” Bowlin said.

Bowlin describes Ragland High as the “heartbeat” of the city, remembering the Friday nights when the entire community comes out to watch the school’s football games.

“If I didn’t have this school, I wouldn’t be the person I am today,” her daughter and incoming eighth grader Krista Bowlin said.

Dr. Burns says students in grades seven through twelve would be bused to Ashville Middle School and Ashville High School if the school closed. However, this wouldn’t appeal to Bowlin.

“Me having a child in the eighth grade and a child in the fourth grade, I’d pull both my kids,” Bowlin said. “I don’t want one kid going to one school and another kid going 15 minutes away.”

The superintendent plans to give a formal presentation on enrollment numbers and finances during a school board meeting scheduled for Aug. 20 at 6 p.m. The “Save Ragland High School” Facebook group is holding a community meeting on July 9 at 6 p.m. at Ragland’s Town Hall.

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