DeKalb school board hears from parents on restructuring proposal

DeKalb County considers closing 27 schools

The DeKalb County Board of Education is considering a massive restructuring plan that could close 27 schools and repurpose over a dozen others.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - The DeKalb County Board of Education is considering a proposal to close 27 schools, add capacity to 11, and convert eight others. School leaders held a meeting on Monday night to hear from parents about the proposed restructuring. 

What they're saying:

Parents say they want more information on what the restructuring could mean for their children. Frank Chao loves his child's elementary school. 

"Ashford Park School is beautiful. It's a diamond in our community," Chao said.

Ashord Park is one of the many DeKalb County schools that could be on the chopping block. 

"I'm open to it. But right now, all I've been told is Ashford Park may be closing," Chao said. "I just want what's best for my child."

School leaders cite declining enrollment as a primary reason for the restructuring. 

"We've dropped about 12,000 students," said Tracy Richter, vice president of the firm that is overseeing the reorganization. "There are almost 20,000 empty seats in this district. There's a lot of pain involved with having to reduce the number of facilities in the communities that will be impacted."
 
When asked what he would tell parents who say they don't want the district to close their children's schools, Richter responded, "We will listen to that. We want to hear from the parents. We want constructive feedback on what we need to do."

Some parents worry that the proposed restructuring could lead to crowded classrooms.
 
"The closing of other schools would potentially bring additional students to our schools, which, in some cases, I think may still be overcrowding," said Iris Cole, whose daughters attend Stephenson Middle School, and whose son attends Stephenson High School. "I want to hear all the facts. "I don't want to make a quick judgment."
 
"If you start closing these schools, and start piling all these kids into one building, you're really going to have a problem," said Johnny Roberts, whose child attends Druid Hills High School.

What's next:

The district says the proposals are in the early stages and could change. The district could make a final decision at the end of the calendar year.