The Columbus City Schools Board of Education outlined Tuesday its plans for moving forward with discussions on the potential closure of as many as nine schools in the district, including touring buildings and contacting national experts for advice.
CCS Board President Christina Vera said Tuesday during their regular meeting that the board’s committees will begin updating the community during every other meeting about what each committee is doing to “play a role in the next steps of the school realignment process.”
In June, the Superintendent’s Facilities Task Force recommended at a Columbus City school board meeting that the board consider closing six elementary schools, two middle schools and a high school building in the state’s largest district, which has 112 buildings. The nine proposed closures recommended was 11 schools fewer than what the task force first presented in May, where up to 20 possible school buildings could have been closed under nine initial scenarios .
Board members will begin touring each of the nine facilities recommended for closure from late September to early October, “purely for research purposes at this stage.” Vera said. The board is also in contact with national and local experts on rightsizing and equity.