MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Harry Jones wanted to get his GED at Messick Adult Center before he learned the state is ending its contract with Shelby County Schools to provide funding.

“Now I got to go try something else,” he said.

Hope Works’ Executive Director Ron Wade says his office is prepared to take in hundreds of students from Messick.

He was in Nashville on Wednesday, but told us over the phone students have six sites to choose from.

“We’re contacting all the students and finding out where is the closest pl2ace of their location so they can get instruction.”

Transportation is a problem for some of the people depending on the program, but Wade says having several locations will help.

“We’ll try to expand based on their geographic location,” he said. “We have the flexibility to adjust sites depending on where their location would be.”

Hope Works has about 12 teachers but is looking for additional ones.

Some people in this community say they’re afraid people will drop out of the program because of the situation.

“It’s going to be a bad problem because it will cause people to look at doing different things.”

Shelby County School Board Chair Teresa Jones says the district will consider its options.

“There may be an opportunity, I think in June, for renewal of the grant so we’ll have to decide if that’s what’s best for SCS and try to do what we can.”

Some say they’ll also consider other.