ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — Pinellas County Schools leaders began meeting with parents, students, and teachers Tuesday to hear feedback about their second round of Planning for Progress cuts and consolidations.
The district is recommending to close seven schools, including turning Sexton Elementary in St. Petersburg into an extension of the YMCA, according to Superintendent Kevin Hendrick.
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According to school board documents, the following schools are under review for possible closure:
- Bear Creek Elementary School
- Azalea Elementary School
- Blanton Elementary School
- Lealman Innovation Academy
- Sexton Elementary School
- Kings Highway Elementary Magnet School
- Tarpon Springs Fundamental
The district claims the proposed changes are to best utilize spaces in a time of low enrollment.
Tens of thousands of seats across Pinellas County Schools are empty due to hurricanes, high cost of living, COVID-19 educational shifts, and low birth rates, according to Hendrick…