The Pinellas County School Board is considering school closures following a decline in student enrollment.

At a workshop Tuesday, Superintendent Kevin Hendrick told board members the district will begin reviewing options in response to a drop of more than 3,000 students compared to last year. No schools have been identified for closure at this time.

District officials said they will gather data, meet with focus groups, conduct surveys, and seek public input before making initial recommendations to the board in January.

School Board Vice Chair Caprice Edmond said the discussions are being driven by reduced funding tied to lower enrollment. “If there are fewer students, that’s less money, and you have to think about what that looks like, what efficiencies can occur, what things you can make better,” Edmond said.

Edmond noted the district has seen a steady decline in enrollment in recent years, which may be linked to homeschooling, the cost of living, and declining birth rates. She emphasized the importance of transparency and community engagement throughout the process.

Some parents expressed concern about potential closures. Seminole parent Lynn Beksha said she hopes the district prioritizes improvements over eliminating schools. Beksha, who has one child thriving in Florida Virtual School and another at Seminole Middle School, said closing schools could contribute to overcrowding elsewhere.

The district is expected to present its recommendations on potential school closures to the board in January.

Follow the St. Pete-Clearwater Sun on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Google, & X

(Image credit: Yahoo News)

PIE-Sun.com: local St. Pete-Clearwater news