Pinellas Schools seeks public input on next phase of campus closures, consolidations
Community meetings on changes for Pinellas Schools
The Pinellas County School District is asking parents, staff and residents to help shape the district's next round of school closure and consolidation recommendations as leaders continue to respond to falling student enrollment and the rising cost of maintaining older campuses. FOX 13's Kellie Cowan reports.
LARGO, Fla. - The Pinellas County School District is asking parents, staff and residents to help shape the district's next round of school closure and consolidation recommendations as leaders continue to respond to falling student enrollment and the rising cost of maintaining older campuses.
Three community meetings are scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Dunedin High School, Pinellas Park High School and St. Petersburg High School. District officials say residents can also submit feedback online through the district's Planning for Progress initiative.
Pinellas County school closures
The backstory:
Pinellas school leaders say the district is trying to make more efficient use of taxpayer dollars as enrollment continues to decline and repair and maintenance costs for aging buildings rise.
Earlier this year, the School Board approved closing Cross Bayou Elementary and Disston Academy at the end of the school year after officials determined both schools were significantly under capacity and required millions of dollars in repairs. The board also approved several campus reconfigurations, including expanding some schools into K-8 campuses.
Superintendent of Pinellas County Schools Kevin Hendrick has since warned that the next round of recommendations is expected to be even more substantial as the district continues evaluating enrollment trends, building utilization and long-term facility needs.
Community feedback
What they're saying:
District leaders say data is only part of the process.
"The district will make recommendations to the board in late August that will take into consideration not only all the data and other things we are seeing in our community from enrollment trends to utilization and building trends, but also the input from our stakeholders to make sure those recommendations represent what we heard from our community," Chief Operations Officer Jennifer Dull said.
According to the district, Wednesday's meetings will include presentations on population trends, enrollment projections, school building utilization, facility planning and potential future options, including consolidations, grade reconfigurations and property use.
Feedback collected during the meetings will help inform recommendations presented to the School Board this fall.
Declining student enrollment
By the numbers:
District officials say several factors are contributing to fewer students in Pinellas County schools.
While some families have left traditional public schools through Florida's expanding school choice and voucher programs, district leaders say the largest long-term factor has been declining birth rates.
Census data shows the number of babies born in Pinellas County dropped by roughly 25% between 1990 and 2020, leaving fewer school-aged children to fill classrooms. As a result, many campuses are operating well below capacity, particularly in neighborhoods with aging populations.
School Board recommendations
What's next:
District staff are expected to present recommendations to the School Board in early fall after reviewing community feedback and updated enrollment and facility data.
The Source: This article is based on information from Pinellas County Schools' Planning for Progress initiative, and previous FOX 13 News reporting on the district's enrollment trends and school consolidation efforts.