in april 2011, the alabaster city council commissioned a $32,000 feasibility study of the city forming its own school district by ira harvey of decision resources. harvey delivered the study that september, finding that alabaster was well-positioned to create its own system, but should implement a 1-cent sales tax increase to do so. after a month of discussion amongst the council and with citizens, the city council voted on october 17, 2011 to both create the school board and raise the city sales tax from 3% to 4% to support it.