CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Citing a drop in enrollment across Georgia, the Clayton County Board of Education is considering closing several schools to consolidate student populations.
According to a board presentation discussed an Aug. 25 work session, officials expect enrollment to drop 2% to 3% in the county over the next five years, lowering funding and causing staffing challenges.
The presentation showed that since the 2021 school year, overall enrollment fell by more than 700 students in the public school district.
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During the work session, no specific schools were named for closure due to consolidation.
However, should consolidations move forward, county officials said they’d be moving students to the newly built Forest Park Middle School and into a planned but not yet built elementary school in Forest Park or Michelle Obama STEM at River’s Edge Elementary.
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A high school destination was not named, but the board documents showed that 100 acres of land were purchased for future population growth and the location can accommodate up the three schools, one elementary, one middle and one high school.
If consolidation does move forward, staff would be relocated to fill vacancies after the process is complete.
Video from the meeting shows when Ronick Joseph, the district’s Chief-Construction, told board members that some changes were inevitable.
“We are not yet prepared to present options to the board at this moment,” Joseph said. Responding to one question about not alarming the public regarding consolidation, he said “To your point, we don’t want to alarm the community, but it is coming.”
Joseph said the district was looking at consolidation opportunities, including at two elementary schools and at least one school in the middle grade level.
The next Clayton County school board meeting is scheduled for Sept. 3.
Consolidation did not appear to be on the agenda for the upcoming meeting, but district officials said during the work session that they planned to present ideas on consolidation in November.
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