Pinellas County Schools is pushing back its second round of community meetings on proposed school closures until after an Oct. 6 School Board workshop, giving board members more time to sort through recommendations that parents say don’t hold up to scrutiny.

Superintendent Kevin Hendrick announced the delay Tuesday night, with new meeting dates to be released in the coming days. He did not say whether the postponement would affect the board’s final vote, still scheduled for Oct. 13. The district says enrollment, building age and operating costs are driving the closure list — the same fiscal pressures that have forced districts across the state to confront years of underused buildings and shrinking budgets.

“It remains my strong recommendation that closures and consolidations must be considered for the district to maintain its financial health,” Hendrick said.

The delay comes as parents keep pushing back on several proposed closures, most notably John M. Sexton Elementary in St. Petersburg. A packed School Board meeting Tuesday night saw parents demand answers on why Sexton made the list at all — and the numbers give them a real case. District data shows Sexton has a higher utilization rate than at least 20 other Pinellas schools, and the district poured roughly $900,000 into renovating the building not long ago. Taxpayers just funded upgrades to a school now on the chopping block.

The YMCA has floated interest in taking over the Sexton property if the district goes through with the closure.

Parent Adriana Diaz put the district’s process itself on trial. “It’s not just that we don’t want our school to close, it’s that the process may not be being followed and this should raise concerns for the board members voting on this as well,” Diaz said. “I don’t think there’s enough information for them to vote right now.”

School Board Chair Caprice Edmond responded by directing staff to run a different scenario: closing nearby Woodlawn Elementary, which has a lower utilization rate, while keeping Sexton open. “I would like to request an analysis of if Woodlawn was the school to close and Sexton remain open,” Edmond told fellow board members. “This is based on community feedback, the age, and how many students it can hold.”

That request doesn’t guarantee a change in the district’s recommendation, but it hands board members a real alternative to weigh before the October vote — one that wasn’t on the table until parents forced the issue.

Families also turned out Tuesday to defend keeping Tarpon Springs Fundamental Elementary open, adding another flashpoint to a closure plan that has drawn organized resistance at nearly every stop.

The Oct. 6 workshop now sets up as the pivotal moment before the district restarts its community meetings and moves toward the Oct. 13 vote — a vote parents argue shouldn’t happen until the district can better justify its own numbers.

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