The proposal includes the possible closure of five elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools. While no final decision has been made, parents say the discussions have left them feeling uninformed and anxious about what comes next.
Parents who spoke with ABC11 said they first learned about the potential closures through social media, not through official communication from the district.
"At first I was kind of disturbed because we found out through social media, you know, it wasn't like we got anything, you know, etched in stone and say, hey, this was a decision or a conversation or anything like that," said Demetria Murphy, a parent.
Another parent, Ann McKoy, shared similar concerns, saying school officials have not directly addressed families.
"No school official has brought this to our attention. So my daughter, she also seen it on Social media. She was like, 'Mom, they're closing down our school.' And I was like, Yeah, it's in the talks, but we haven't heard anything about it," McKoy said.
Discussions around possible school consolidations follow a facilities review conducted last year by MGT of America Consulting, an independent third-party firm. The review examined all 86 buildings in the district and found that approximately $800 million in repairs would be needed to address aging infrastructure.
In response to those findings, county leaders are weighing the closure of eight schools as a way to reduce long-term maintenance costs.
Schools being considered for closure
- Brentwood Elementary
- Margaret Willis Elementary
- Sherwood Park Elementary
- Manchester Elementary
- Stedman Elementary
- Anne Chesnutt Middle
- Alger B. Wilkins High
- Ramsey Street High
Though some parents said they understand the need for progress, others worried the changes could create financial and logistical hardships for families.
"I have to pay someone to get her from school while I'm at work, you know, ... So, of course, that's going to put a lot of more strain on the person that I have to pick her up in at the noon is going to put a lot more strain on my my pockets financially as well as with gas getting back and forth to school," McKoy said.
Murphy, whose fifth-grade daughter is set to attend Anne Chestnutt Elementary School this fall, one of the schools under consideration for closure, said longer commutes could be especially challenging for families participating in school choice programs.
"If your children are in the choice program, there's not a bus ride for them. You have to take them back and forth to school. That is one of the requirements of being in the choice program, which I didn't have a problem with because the school that she's there is not too far from my house, you know, and Chestnutt is not too far from my house just as well. But if they do that and she goes to New Century, the next 30 minutes from my house. So where does that put me at as a parent to have to take an hour, right?" Murphy said.
Parents said they want their concerns to be part of the decision-making process.
"Our voices does matter because these are our children," Murphy said.
The county has said the proposed closures would help address aging infrastructure and reduce long-term maintenance costs, but parents argue the effects on families must be carefully considered.
"We've got to come to a common ground because that's not going to be fair to parents," Murphy said.
District officials said no decisions have been finalized or a plan approved, which is why formal communication has not yet been sent to parents. The school board is expected to reconvene discussions on the proposal in February.
Parents say they hope for greater transparency as those conversations continue.
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