The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to terminate all contracts for a proposed early childhood learning center building at 346 West Trinity Place.
The previously planned ECLC at West Trinity Place was controversial, with Decatur parents at odds with the local Board of Education about whether the project should move forward.
There were concerns voiced about the cost and transparency of the process.
Eventually, the issue resulted in lawmaker intervention during the most recent legislative session, with Gov. Brian Kemp signing legislation requiring a referendum for the project, and other similar ones, to proceed.
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The school district announced Wednesday that it will instead pursue an expanded early learning program at the Frasier Center, located on the Decatur High School campus.
Under the revised strategy, the school system plans to explore doubling capacity at the Frasier Center from 60 seats to at least 120 seats for infants through preschool-aged children.
The district said it also wants to leverage the campus expansion to enhance Career, Technical and Agricultural Education, fine arts and athletics programs at Decatur High School.
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Dr. Carmen Sulton, chair of the City Schools of Decatur Board of Education, said it was important to maintain high standards across all district early childhood facilities.
“The goal is to make sure that there is an equitable learning opportunity, that we prioritize early learning and that the kids who need it most are prioritized somehow,” Sulton said. “If [this plan] gets the job done for these kids, then I’m on board.”
In response to public feedback, the school board previously commissioned a Phase 1A archaeological study of the 346 West Trinity Place location.
The investigation determined that mid-20th-century urban renewal projects and subsequent land redevelopment eliminated the residential structures, buildings and street networks associated with the historic Beacon Hill community.
Because no above-ground historic structures remain within the project area, the report recommended no further archaeological survey or monitoring work.
The canceled West Trinity Place building design had originally incorporated classrooms for children ages 0 to 3 as well as designated pre-K classrooms.
To determine alternative locations for pre-K offerings, school officials released a community survey to gather public input on district priorities. District administrators plan to analyze the survey data in tandem with outreach to families, educators, students and community partners before presenting a revised early learning strategy.
The district’s public pre-K access survey will remain open through Sept. 16 as school leaders gather feedback to develop the revised early learning plan.
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