St. Pete-Clearwater Sun

Pinellas County Schools is signaling that more school closures are on the horizon, driven by falling enrollment and ongoing budget pressures.

The school board voted in February to shut down or repurpose several schools in order to save the district more than $7 million in recurring annual expenses. Two schools are already set to close at the end of this school year, and two others will be converted into K-8 schools.

Now district officials say that may not be enough. The district has not yet set a specific number of additional schools to close, but plans to hold several community meetings over the summer to gather input before making decisions.

Board Chairperson Caprice Edmond pointed to declining enrollment as the core issue, noting the district receives funding based on student headcount. She attributed the enrollment drop to falling birth rates, affordability concerns, and, to a lesser degree, immigration policy uncertainty.

Superintendent Kevin Hendrick outlined a regional approach to the next round of community engagement, presenting data on student populations and existing school capacity to individual communities and asking residents to weigh in on what makes sense for their area.

The budget strain is also affecting staff. Lee Bryant, president of the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association, said teachers in the county are expected to receive only a $400 raise under the current proposed state budget, and that anxiety over cuts and closures is weighing heavily on morale. Bryant added that district officials expect to manage staffing changes largely through attrition rather than layoffs.

The district’s goal is to have a finalized list of schools to close by fall, with a school board vote to follow. Families would then know the outcome before the school choice window opens in early winter.

Edmond encouraged families to attend community meetings this summer or contact their school board representatives directly with input.

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