Sell surplus school property

There is nothing to lose and there could be millions of dollars to gain by the Charleston County School Board's decision to put some of its unused property on the market.

As Bill Lewis, head of the district's building program, said, "It's the new reality of tightening the belt."

The school district's budget for 2009-2010 is significantly reduced from last year. State funds allocated for schools have been slashed due to the distressed economy.

The board has taken a number of measures to offset those shortfalls. It agreed to close five schools that were underused or underperforming. It has increased class sizes. It has drawn from its rainy day fund. And it has voted a tax hike.

It is a wise business move to explore selling property not being used for education. The district owns some valuable parcels of land — including the former Laing Middle School campus on Hwy. 17 in thriving Mount Pleasant. Why not offer it, and others, for sale and see what happens? If the offers are inadequate because of the slumping economy, the board is under no obligation to sell. And if an attractive offer were to be made, this is a good year for some extra cash.

Either way, taxpayers should appreciate that these potential windfalls are not being ignored.

Any decision about the disposal of property will be complex. It isn't about only getting through a rough patch. The district must plan for growth and weigh what its classroom needs will be. The surplus sale plan already allows for some properties to be retained and used temporarily by schools under construction or renovation. Another consideration should be anticipating what facilities might be needed to accommodate charter schools.

The surplus property itself is an indication of the changing district:

Laing Middle will move into a new building, and the District 2 administrative staff can move from its office building on Coleman Boulevard into office space available because District 20, downtown, has reduced its staff.

The district's staff and board have worked diligently to fund schools under this year's fiscal cloud.

Selling property that's not being used is a praiseworthy next step.