Commissioners approve contract for Asheville-Buncombe school merger study

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Buncombe County Commissioners voted to proceed with a state-mandated feasibility study of merging Asheville City and Buncombe County schools.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY SPEARHEADS STUDY ON MERGING ASHEVILLE CITY AND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS

During Tuesday's meeting, Prismatic Services, Inc. was awarded the $301,543-contract to conduct the study.

"This is a really important question, and I want us to do this right," Commission Chair Brownie Newman said. "I think we should follow through on this. It was not started on the local level, but we want this to be a process with integrity."

County officials offered the following timeline for the study:

• April 2024: Prismatic Services to launch study
• December 2024: Prismatic Services to submit final report
• January 2025: Commissioners and school boards to discuss findings/recommendations
• February 2025: Board of Education to report to General Assembly

WHAT'S BEHIND PUSH FOR STUDY OF POSSIBLE MERGER OF ASHEVILLE, BUNCOMBE SCHOOL SYSTEMS?

Gov. Roy Cooper signed House Bill 142 / SL 2023-128 into law on Sept. 29, 2023, which mandated that the Asheville City and Buncombe County school systems jointly study the feasibility of a merger. Buncombe County Commissioners accepted the lead role on the study on Oct. 17, 2023.