ORLANDO, Fla. – A workshop in Orange County on Tuesday afternoon will discuss a plan to potentially consolidate seven public schools to deal with falling enrollment.
The school board is meeting for a rule development workshop at 4:30 p.m. at the school district headquarters in downtown Orlando.
[WATCH: ‘Potential use’ plans unveiled for 7 Orange County schools up for closure]
Orange County Public Schools is considering a plan to close six elementary schools and one middle school starting next school year:
- Bonneville Elementary School
- Chickasaw Elementary School
- Eccleston Elementary School
- McCoy Elementary School
- Meadow Woods Elementary School
- Orlo Vista Elementary School
- Union Park Middle School
The district says the school closures are necessary because of declining enrollment. In August, the district said enrollment fell by 7,000 students, far more than originally expected.
[WATCH: Orange schools face $25M shortfall after enrollment drops nearly 7K students]
Last week, Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez told school board members that more school closures may be needed.
“I wasn’t going to say this, but we are projected, I believe, for another 5000 students next year, so while I wish I could say this is the last of the consolidations,” Vazquez said.
According to a spokesperson for OCPS, the district is expecting projected enrollment to continue falling over the next two years, and then rebound through the 2036-2036.
The district is currently working on rezoning plans. The school board will not come to a final decision on the closure plan until the spring.
The district says birthrates, immigration policy, aging neighborhoods, and the state’s expansion of taxpayer-funded vouchers are factors in the enrollment decline.