The Pinellas County School Board voted Tuesday to shutter Cross Bayou Elementary in Pinellas Park and Disston Academy in Gulfport when the 2025-26 school year wraps up. These decisions stem from the district’s Planning for Progress initiative.
Cross Bayou Elementary educates about 250 kids. It sits at 40% capacity with 610 total seats. The building needs $5.1 million in repairs and upgrades. Disston Academy, an alternative program for grades 6 through 12, houses around 70 students and limps along at 20% utilization despite having room for 311.
Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said shuttering these schools will free up cash. Cross Bayou’s closure is expected to produce $3 million in annual savings. Disston Academy’s shutdown will eliminate about $2 million in deferred maintenance plus another $2 million in yearly costs…