Carroll Academy receives boost in budget

HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — A local school is breathing a sigh of relief.

At Carroll Academy, Executive Director Randy Hatch says they’ve been on a shoestring budget for years, doing just enough to get by.

But thanks to Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee legislature, their job just got a lot easier for years to come.

The school, which serves teens who have been tried in the juvenile court system, says even their reserve fund was low.

The funding has been a sore spot since 2008, when Carroll Academy had their funding cut by 40%. Ever since then, it’s been an issue.

“I feared, what was probably going to have to happen, we might have to lay off and cut back a couple of staff,” Hatch said. “And maybe reduce the student population.”

But as of the recent budget, the governor and the state legislature have set aside $600,000 for the academy.

That is in addition to $643,000 from the Department of Children’s Services. That totals to a budget of over $1.2 million.

The school says this is their biggest since 2008, and it is one of their biggest, ever.

“We’ve been wounded for 13 years on finances. But now, for the future of Carroll Academy, it looks pretty good,” Hatch said.

“There have been a lot of people involved in this. It goes all the way to Washington D.C. and back through the state. And the local people came to the rescue when we needed them,” said Carroll County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Larry Logan.

Logan is the one who helped start the school back in 1993 after seeing the results of kids being stuck in the legal system.

Through all the ups and downs, he says it’s surpassed all his expectations.

“Really surprised we’re still here. I never dreamed that a DCS grant would remain 27 years later,” Logan said.

Hatch says they have some immediate needs for the money.

“Our teachers were making $6,000 below state standards. So we’re going to make that right, and we’re also going to improve our transportation,” Hatch said.

Both Hatch and Logan say the new budget is a relief, and they add it feels like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders.

“Teachers, caring individuals, have gone way out of their way to make sure these special kids realize that people do care about them,” Logan said.

“It’s been amazing, and I just hope that all that can continue. And it will, I have no question,” Hatch said.