Pinellas County Schools will present a student recruitment and retention strategy to its School Board on Tuesday, Oct. 20, one week after approving a sweeping restructuring plan that will close or relocate several campuses, including Kings Highway Elementary Magnet School in Clearwater.

The workshop begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Cabinet Conference Room at the district's Largo headquarters, 301 Fourth St. SW. A district presentation prepared for the session outlines a three-part strategy using what the district calls "owned, earned and paid" channels to attract and retain students.

The presentation comes as Pinellas County Schools grapples with decades of declining enrollment. Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said at a Sept. 10 meeting that district buildings were designed to accommodate 115,000 students but now serve roughly 70,000, according to WFLA.

As previously reported by the Clearwater Sentinel, the board approved a restructuring package Oct. 13 under its Planning for Progress initiative.

The plan includes closing Kings Highway, Blanton Elementary, Bear Creek Elementary and Lealman Innovation Academy at the end of the 2026-27 school year.

Tarpon Springs Fundamental Elementary and Azalea Elementary are also among six campuses identified for closure, although their programs will be relocated or reorganized. Pinellas Park Elementary will be converted into a fundamental school.

The district estimates its broader consolidation efforts could eventually save approximately $25 million annually.

Community partnerships drive recruitment

The recruitment presentation identifies community organizations as a central part of the district's strategy.

Pinellas County Schools plans to equip real estate agents, parent-teacher associations, nonprofits, municipalities and preschool providers with one-page school highlights and QR codes linking to enrollment information.

The goal is to help families discover public school options through organizations they already encounter in their communities.

The district also plans to coordinate recruitment activities with enrollment deadlines, school discovery nights and community events.

According to the presentation, district representatives attended 55 community events during the 2025-26 school year and 19 so far in 2026-27.

Another component focuses on strengthening marketing at individual campuses.

The district plans to provide ready-to-use promotional templates, ongoing training for school communicators and opportunities for staff members to exchange successful recruitment strategies.

Those efforts build on an existing district brand guide and a school-level advertising pilot.

Enrollment decline fuels school changes

The recruitment push comes amid demographic trends that have complicated efforts to maintain enrollment.

The University of Florida's Bureau of Economic and Business Research projects that Pinellas County's school-age population will decline or remain relatively flat through 2050, according to WUSF.

Annual births in the county fell from approximately 10,000 in 1990 to 7,010 in 2024.

The demographic shift has left the district operating buildings with thousands of unused seats, prompting officials to consolidate schools and redirect resources.

The Oct. 13 restructuring vote followed hours of public comment from families concerned about school closures, student reassignment and changes to established programs.

Board member Lisa Cane opposed the broader restructuring package and unsuccessfully sought to postpone the decision while officials considered alternatives, WTSP reported.

The district also removed John M. Sexton Elementary from the Oct. 13 closure vote while officials review additional options.

Jennifer Dull, chief operations officer for Pinellas County Schools, said employees would not lose their jobs because of the restructuring, according to WFLA. Staff members could, however, be reassigned to other campuses.

Tuesday's recruitment workshop is scheduled for discussion rather than a public vote. Under School Board policy, public comment is not permitted during workshops.