Local parents sound off about plan to close several Duval County schools

DUVAL COUNTY, Fla. – Duval County Public Schools is exploring ways to address a $1.4 billion budget gap by consolidating some of its schools.

Under a proposal now being considered by the School Board, Atlantic Beach Elementary School would close.

Atlantic Beach Elementary has fewer than 500 students, and if the plan is approved, those students would instead go to Neptune Beach Elementary, about a mile away.

That school would then become a K-8 school.

VIEW: Master Facility Plan being considered by Duval County School Board

Consultants hired by the school district say an elementary school should have between 800 and 1,200 students to be considered effective.

Any school operating below that threshold operates at a premium with more money required to staff the school.

Atlantic Beach Elementary isn’t the only school that would be impacted by the “Master Facility Plan.”

The district is also considering closing:

• Seabreeze Elementary and San Pablo Elementary and moving those students to Fletcher Middle School

• Fletcher Middle would then convert to a K-8 school

• Students at Anchor Academy and Mayport Elementary would move to Mayport Middle, which would also become a new K-8

Several parents spoke out during Tuesday night’s school board meeting with mixed reactions about the proposals.

“Atlantic Beach Elementary is an A school. Scores that designated them a school of excellence in 2021, even in the midst of the pandemic. As for character, Atlantic Beach Elementary is a leader, and has been a lighthouse school since 2019,” one parent said.

Another said 75% of children zone for Atlantic Beach Elementary attend Atlantic Beach Elementary, not charter or private schools.

“That speaks volumes,” the parent said. “This school is an anchor for middle school and high school capacity numbers.”

But another parent said that new schools are better for the community, staff and students.

“It does not make sense to build new schools until we increase our average capacity. This is strategic to set us up for better and newer facilities,” they said.

Former Atlantic Beach Mayor Ellen Glasser also spoke Tuesday.

“The purpose of your consultant’s review was to right-size our schools for a rich learning environment. We’re already doing that in Atlantic Beach,” Glasser said. “To say you’re pulling the curtains back on this project suggests there was a curtain up to start with. I would suggest there is a lack of transparency in terms of the schools on the list and that it appears to be outcome based to save money.”

The school board says construction costs and a significant increase in charter school enrollment, specifically at the middle school level, have led to the need for these kinds of alternatives.

Before closing the school was proposed, the original plan had it listed as being renovated.

Again, at this point, these are just proposals. Duval County School Board Chair Darryl Willie stresses nothing is final.