Students at the Academy of Richmond County could be siphoned off and rezoned to two other schools to ease overcrowding.

School board members gave the tentative OK Thursday to relieve overcrowding at Richmond Academy by sending some of its students to Josey and Laney high schools, both of which are under-enrolled.

The plan is only a proposal at this point. Before any final action is taken, the public will have an opportunity to offer input and the federal courts will make a ruling to ensure the plan doesn't conflict with its desegregation order.

A public forum will be held at 5:30 p.m. April 20 at Tubman Middle School.

In other business Thursday, the board:

- Tentatively approved offering $3.3 million to purchase with the city 90 acres from Commercial and Military Systems at Mike Padgett Highway and Lumpkin Road. The property will be a joint transportation facility.

- Approved a $132,500 settlement over a March 2008 accident in which a bus rear-ended a car at a stop sign. The board must pay $50,000 as its deductible.