Clearwater families with children at Kings Highway Elementary have another chance to weigh in before the Pinellas County School Board votes on a plan that would close the school.
A community meeting at Kings Highway is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 6 p.m. in the school cafeteria. It is part of a final round of meetings Pinellas County Schools scheduled before the School Board's planned vote Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Kings Highway is among the schools Superintendent Kevin Hendrick has recommended closing or consolidating as part of the district's "Planning for Progress" initiative.
The proposal would close Kings Highway Elementary at the end of the 2026-27 school year. Blanton Elementary, Bear Creek Elementary, Sexton Elementary and Lealman Innovation are also recommended for closure.
The plan also calls for consolidating Tarpon Springs Fundamental Elementary with Tarpon Springs Middle to create a fundamental K-8 school and eventually moving Azalea Elementary students to the Azalea Middle campus to create another K-8 school.
Enrollment decline drives proposal
The district says the changes could save roughly $25 million annually in operating costs while reducing thousands of unused student seats.
Hendrick has cited declining enrollment and excess building capacity as the primary reasons for the recommendations.
District figures presented in September showed 45 schools operating below 60% capacity and 41 elementary schools enrolling fewer than 300 students.
When the plan was announced, Hendrick told WFLA that Pinellas had school buildings designed to accommodate about 115,000 students but roughly 70,000 students attending district-operated schools.
"You have to make decisions to best use public resources," Hendrick said.
The district does not anticipate layoffs as a result of the plan. Hendrick has also said families at affected schools would receive priority when seeking placement in other district programs.
Families get another chance to weigh in
The latest community meetings follow strong opposition during an earlier round of public input.
More than 30 speakers opposed the recommendations during a September School Board meeting, according to the St. Pete Catalyst.
School Board Chair Caprice Edmond asked district staff to analyze closing Woodlawn Elementary instead of Sexton Elementary. She also requested alternatives for Tarpon Springs Fundamental, including potentially relocating the program to another campus as a K-8 school.
Board member Lisa Cane also sought additional information about what would happen to Tarpon Springs Fundamental employees under the proposal.
The School Board scheduled an Oct. 6 workshop to review the recommendations and community feedback before the final round of meetings.
Final vote scheduled Oct. 13
Community meetings leading up to the vote include:
- Tuesday, Oct. 6, 6 p.m. — Blanton Elementary and Pinellas Park Elementary
- Wednesday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m. — Bear Creek Elementary and Kings Highway Elementary
- Thursday, Oct. 8, 3 p.m. — Lealman Innovation
- Monday, Oct. 12, 6 p.m. — Sexton Elementary, Tarpon Springs Fundamental and Tarpon Springs Middle
All meetings will be held in the schools' cafeterias.
The School Board is scheduled to take its final vote on the Planning for Progress recommendations Tuesday, Oct. 13.
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