Adventist Boarding Academy Bass Memorial Projected to Close
21 March 2025 |
Bass Memorial Academy in Gulf States Conference (Alabama, Mississippi, and part of Florida) is expected to close this year, pending a constituency meeting scheduled for June 8. The academy has 49 students, with 20 of those graduating. A video message scheduled to go to church members says,
For over 60 years Bass has served our conference and its youth as a part of Adventist education in Gulf States. But times have changed and many parents are wanting to parent longer, and are not comfortable sending their children off to a boarding academy. In addition, we have seen the cost to operate Bass increase significantly. So our Executive Committee has voted a new vision of Adventist education for Gulf States Conference, one that moves Adventist education closer to the homes of our families, as well as continuing the boarding school option for our families.
Gulf States’ administration held two town hall meetings in December. On January 7 the conference executive committee voted to quit funding the academy at the end of this year. The constitution says that 3/4 of a constituency meeting has to vote to close the school.
The recommendation to close Bass Memorial comes just as Dakota Conference is about to take to their constituency a recommendation to close Dakota Adventist Academy.
In an email to Adventist Today, Gulf States president Brian Danese explained that legislation in Alabama and Florida has contributed to the crunch.
Florida has enacted school choice, so the state gives the family $7,200 per year for any private school. Our schools in Florida are growing, and there are two day academies in the process of opening. Alabama just enacted, and starts in the fall, a school choice program as well, offering $7,000 for any private school. We currently have three day academies here in Alabama, and it appears that an additional three or four more are in development. That could bring the number of high school options to between six and seven in our conference. How can we recruit for a boarding school at $20,000 a year, when they can attend a Seventh-day Adventist day academy for free with state help?
He added that of the $2,000/month tuition for Bass Memorial, the school was only collecting $800/month.
The conference hopes to offer a scholarship for those who would like to attend a boarding school in another conference.
The Bass Memorial Legacy Endowment will provide $5,000 scholarships for members of our conference who would like to experience the boarding academy environment at an accredited boarding academy. There are some great academies, like Ozark, Highland, or Georgia Cumberland, that will be available. You can reach out to the education department to receive the application.
