Fairhope Schools Could Split From Baldwin County
By Rick McCann
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News
April 6, 2026
FAIRHOPE, Ala. It’s no secret that as cities within Baldwin County continue to attract new residents and their populations continue to explode that some have split from the Baldwin County School System to begin their own locally controlled school board.
In Baldwin County, Gulf Shores formed their own school board in 2019. Gulf Shores Mayor Kraft and other city leaders had done their homework, worked through some studies and listened to experts and made a decision that controlling their own funds and their own destination that being self-governed would be best for Gulf Shores.
To no one’s surprise, another fast-growing beach city, Orange Beach, followed in 2022.
While most communities in Baldwin County are small enough to need the finances and other support that a county school system brings, several other areas including Fairhope could more than likely step away from the county and form their own school system.
Fairhope continues to grow expediently through grass roots efforts as well as annexing property sitting outside of their city limits.
In recent years, Fairhope actively focused on bringing in surrounding areas to manage growth and utility services, including approving a 14-acre parcel on Twin Beach Road in late 2025. The city passed an ordinance in 2024 requiring property owners to petition for annexation to connect to the municipal water system, aiming to control development density.
Currently two new developments sitting on the outskirts of their city limits are being eyed for annexation including a project, which includes restaurants, an 18-hole golf course and more than 300 homes near the Fairhope-Barnwell line on a large piece of property off Greeno Road could be next to be brought into the Fairhope fold.
The property straddles property along Monk Road and County Road 3 just east of County Road 1.
The steady growth brings various streams of revenue for such cities including a strong tax base that could support establishing their own school system.
Two studies have examined the possibility. One was commissioned by the city, the other by a citizens group. Their conclusions differ sharply. The city’s study says a millage increase would be required to launch a Fairhope school system. The citizens group says it can be done without raising taxes.
But Mayor Sherry Sullivan has said that a decision has not yet been made but the door is open.
Fairhope Mayor Sherry Sullivan said any decision is far from being made.
“There are a lot more conversations to be had before anything is decided on this,” she said. “It could drastically split our community.”
Both studies showed a little different result, including one that was done by Birmingham-based Criterion Consulting LLC that suggests new taxes would be required.
In their study, $7.6 million in new property taxes through a 10.37-mill increase. For a $300,000 home, that would mean about $300 more per year.
Scenario 2: Limits capital expenses to maintenance projects. It would require $4 million in new taxes, or a 5.47-mill increase.
The group was paid $25,000 for the study.
Fairhope residents have contributed significant annual revenues to the Baldwin County School System which, if Fairhope separates to form their own school system, that money would be lost.
As with the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach school systems, Fairhope would be starting much like a new business start-up with many various capital expenditures to fund the school system, including payroll, various equipment and possibly a new school to keep up with the student enrollments.
Fairhope would acquire $35.5 million in debt from the county system, though city officials and the citizens group question that figure because the county uses a pay-as-you-go construction model financed through a countywide sales tax.
Taxation and starting over is something that longtime Fairhope residents may not get on board with while newcomers and the business community may see more advantages than problems.
Only 55% of students in the Fairhope feeder pattern live inside city limits. J. Larry Newton Elementary School would be most affected. Of its 754 students, only 136 live in the city. Under a city system, only 18% of the building would be utilized if limited to city residents.
“I think that is a thing that worries a lot of folks,” Sullivan said. “You will have people that will have to pay to come into our system. Even if you grandfathered them in, they would still have to pay. They would have to pay a fee due to not being within our city limits. Some won’t be able to afford that. What does that look like?”
Other school systems who have broken away from county systems have found that like any business, there are advantages and disadvantages, initial funding being an initial concern.
But like the beach community cities here have found out, there are also many freedoms, and a the rewards of controlling your own destiny and that of the school’s students that seem to make the move a win.
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