The Baldwin County Board of Education oversees all public schools in Baldwin County, Alabama, and is based in Bay Minette, Alabama. The Board serves most of the county including both suburban and rural areas. It is the only public school systems in the county. Over 30,000 students are within the supervision of the Board. 3,400 employees including 2,100 classroom teachers, serve the students at 45 campuses. The Board of Education is the largest single employer in Baldwin County.Board compositionThe board is composed of seven members elected within districts throughout the county. The Superintendent of Education is appointed by the board and is not a member of it.Board membersDavid Cox, District 1David Tarwater, District 2Tony Myrick, District 3Norman Moore, District 4, Board PresidentAngie Swiger, District 5, Cecil Christenberry, District 6, Shannon Cauley, District 7,Board Vice PresidentSuperintendentThe Baldwin County Superintendent of Education is Robbie Owen who previously served as principal of Rockwell Elementary School in Spanish Fort, Alabama. Owen served as a temporary appointment after the mid-year departure of Dr. Alan T. Lee. His was permanently appointed to the position in the Summer of 2014.FinancesThe 2013-2014 budget is $305 million. Economic difficulties confronted the Board beginning in 2008 when local and state tax revenue tanked and were exacerbated by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Citizens voted twice to approve an emergency one percent sales tax that has kept the system running. Among the innovations is the Digital Renaissance, an initiative that has put Mac Book laptops in the hands of more than 10,000 high school students and 700 high school teachers. Despite tight budgets the school voted to include $2.8 million in the 2014 budget to expand the program to grades 4 - 6.
