State Superintendent of Education Dr. Eric Mackey intends to recommend to the State Board of Education the state intervene with Bessemer City Schools.

“In this case it got to the point as state superintendent I didn’t believe there really was a way to continue to move forward without state intervention,” explained Dr. Mackey.

Mackey said he will make that recommendation at the State Board meeting in August. The State Board of Education must approve the intervention.

” We have certainly been gathering some information for some time. Even when Dr. Jeter was at Bessemer, she and I had some conversations about my concerns with the board governance, and their spending down the ESSER funds, so that has been going on for some time. Remember we are working with 139 traditional school boards, more than 11 local charter schools boards, and I have always got one or two, three or four, usually five or six local school boards I have concerns about, and we work with them to try and address those concerns. The last ditch effort is a state intervention,” said Dr. Mackey.

The school district had an opportunity to respond to Dr. Mackey’s letter highlighting various issues with the school system.

“One of the things the school board can do is look at what we are saying and then they can come back and say we think we’d be better off to work together. After our meeting Wednesday afternoon, I think that is where most board members are leaning,” said Mackey.

Bessemer school leadership must also approve a resolution to consent to the intervention, according to Mackey.

If approved, the intervention could last two years.

This story will be updated.