Susie E. Tolbert Elementary is one of six schools to potentially close | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
Published on September 19, 2024 at 3:31 pm
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Staff and parents at seven Duval County elementary schools are being informed this week that their schools are under consideration for closure and consolidation into other schools for the 2025-26 school year.
The changes are part of the latest version of Duval County Public Schools’ Master Facility Plan.
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The plan is not yet final, but these elementary schools are being alerted to the possible changes:
- Annie R. Morgan students into Biltmore
- Kings Trail students into Beauclerc
- Don Brewer students into Merrill Road
- Susie Tolbert students into S.P. Livingston
- George Washington Carver students into Rufus E. Payne
- Hidden Oaks students into Cedar Hills
On top of those schools, the Young Men and Women’s Leadership Academy program at Eugene Butler Middle School would also close under the latest version of the plan. The district’s Bridge to Success middle and high school programs, which are currently housed at St. Claire Evans Elementary and Henry Kite Elementary would then consolidate at Butler.
A final version of the plan will be presented to a community review group on Tuesday. The School Board will then vote Oct. 1 to trigger a review process, which will include a public hearing on Oct. 29, followed by a final School Board vote on Nov. 4.
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The district says the overall goal of the plan is to reduce operating costs by cutting schools with relatively low enrollment as DCPS is looking to close a $1.4 billion budget gap.
The district says the changes will also make better use of the money provided by the county’s half-cent sales tax.
This story comes from News4Jax, a Jacksonville Today news partner.
