Tuscaloosa private school looks to CHOOSE Act for future funding
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ( WIAT ) — An emergency contingency plan is in place at the Omnia Classical School in Tuscaloosa County to help keep them financially afloat until the CHOOSE Act takes effect.
The private school rebranded and relocated last year after unexpected changes happened at Riverwood Presbyterian, its founding church.
"That's one of the reasons we've been fundraising this year," said Adam Condra, a dean at the school. "Student turnover and moving costs have just caught up with us, so it's been a belt tightening situation."
The school typically had a little over 60 students enrolled throughout kindergarten from 12th grade. That number was slashed in half.
Reduced enrollment also meant reduced funds. The price of going to its new location on Old Greensboro Road exacerbated the financial shortcomings.
"We knew that the move from Riverwood to here was a pretty big financial hit," Sara Cobb said.
Cobb teaches fourth and fifth grade at Omnia, where her two children are enrolled. For the Cobb family, choosing private over public school was an easy decision.
"My husband is a pastor, and we value a Christian education pretty highly," Cobb said.
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The Cobbs felt the curriculum at Omnia met their educational and religious standards. Changes at the school, however, created moments of uncertainty about whether or not Omnia could stay financially afloat.
"We would not have left until the doors shut down and probably home school, and then I don't know what," Cobb said. "We would have figured it out from there."
Closure is not a possibility at the moment with the emergency contingency in place, Condra said.
Omnia has been holding fundraising events to create more of a cushion, and the two churches supporting them found ways to put more money into the school.
But anything can happen between now and July when the CHOOSE Act tax credits come in .
Omnia hopes that will get the numbers back to where it wants to be for enrollment and funding.
"What we expect is once it [goes] into effect, the families in our school that are on financial aid, or the people who are interested but maybe couldn't pay tuition, they can have access to the [Choose Act tax credits] to apply and sign up," Condra said.
The school was not a CHOOSE Act advocate, but the legislation was proposed and signed at a time when the school needed it most Condra said.
It's also a benefit for families like the Cobbs who want education centered around their beliefs.
"A lot of families that want different education don't get the choice to do so," Cobb said.
Depending on a student's grade level, tuition at Omnia Classical can range from $6,852 to $7,152 per year . That range is similar to other private schools in the area.
The CHOOSE Act would provide eligible families with $7,000 a year to spend on qualifying educational supplies such as tuition. Before that goes into effect, there's other ways the school is looking to raise money.
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