Madison Academic Magnet High School inches closer to new location

JACKSON, Tenn. — “We feel optimistic that we will get it done, and when we do it will be a positive move,” said JMCSS Superintendent Ray Washington.

Madison Academic Magnet high school inches closer to relocating to the University of Memphis-Lambuth Campus.

“We got approval from the state comptroller’s office to approve the financing package for the JCM and Madison Academic schools.” said Chris Alexander with Healthy Community, LLC.

“Jackson Central-Merry will be funded by the county and the Madison project will be funded by the cit, but jointly we applied for new market tax credit from the federal government to offset some of those costs,” Washington explained.

According to Chris Alexander, new market tax credits could provide up to a 20 percent savings on the cost of the two new schools.

“We are very optimistic that we are going to reach the levels that we need to move the project forward. It is a competitive process but we feel like we have a great plan and great opportunity that folks want to invest in,” said Alexander.

The new market tax credits are federally allocated through the U.S. Department of Treasury and community development entities.

When the new facility is finally built, it will enable high school students to take dual enrollment classes on the university campus.

“We’ll have access to facilities that we don’t have access to now, and the students will have better opportunities to do dual enrollment by being on a college campus,” said Washington.

Alexander says they are still in the design phase, but hope to break ground on the new school by the end of the year.