Rationale for School Closures

Over the past ten years, the school division has experienced a steady and sustained decline in student enrollment, resulting in significant underutilization across many school facilities. At the same time, the division faces increasing capital renewal and maintenance pressures driven by the age and condition of its buildings.

To address these challenges responsibly, the division has developed a phased plan to close nine schools, consolidate enrollment, and repurpose or reinvest in remaining facilities. This plan is grounded in three core principles:

• Efficient use of facilities, with a target of 85% utilization
• Placement of students into higher-quality, better-conditioned schools
• Long-term financial and capital sustainability

Current enrollment data show that many schools are operating well below optimal capacity, with utilization rates commonly ranging from 49% to 74%, and only a small number of schools approaching efficient use thresholds.

Open seats by Elementary School

This level of underutilization results in:

• Hundreds of unused seats across the system
• Inefficient deployment of staff and resources
• Elevated per-student costs for utilities, maintenance, and operations.

To ensure operational efficiency while maintaining flexibility for future enrollment changes, the division has adopted a standard that schools should operate at approximately 85% of maximum student capacity. Consolidating enrollment is necessary to meet this benchmark.

The division’s long-range facilities plan includes the closure of nine schools, implemented over several years to minimize disruption and allow for careful student reassignment and facility repurposing.

These closures are coordinated with:

• Available capacity at nearby schools
• Transportation and boundary considerations
• Planned repurposing, rebuilding, or renovation of select facilities.

This strategic sequencing ensures continuity of services while advancing long-term efficiency.

The nine schools scheduled for closure currently serve approximately 3,155 students, all of whom will be reassigned to schools with available capacity and stronger facility conditions.

Students reassigned by school:

• Chesterfield ES – 316
• Ghent – 490
• Granby ES – 443
• Lindenwood ES – 235
• Oceanair ES – 406
• P.B. Young ES – 230
• Tarrallton ES – 263
• Norview ES – 360
• St. Helena ES – 240
• Willoughby Early Childhood Center – 172

Total students reassigned: ~3,155 students

Reassigning these students will:

• Increase utilization at receiving schools that currently have excess capacity.
• Move schools closer to the 85% utilization target.
• Reduce reliance on aging, inefficient buildings.
• Place students in facilities with better infrastructure, recent upgrades, and improved learning conditions.

Even after reassignment, most receiving schools will remain below or near the 85% threshold, preserving capacity for future enrollment fluctuations.

The 2025 Facilities Conditions Assessment provides an objective evaluation of building quality using the Facility Condition Index (FCI), an industry-standard metric ranging from 0.0 (new) to 1.0 (exceeded useful life)

Accepted standards classify:

• FCI > .650 as Poor Condition
• FCI .400–.649 as Fair Condition
• FCI < .400 as Good Condition

Key findings from the assessment include:

• Thirty-nine percent of division facilities are currently rated in poor condition.
• The average age of elementary schools and early childhood centers is 49 years.
• The average age of all division facilities is 55 years, exceeding both national and regional averages.

While recent investments have improved conditions in some buildings, many schools identified for closure exhibit a combination of low utilization and elevated FCI scores, making them among the least cost-effective facilities to operate and maintain.

The assessment explicitly recommends using FCI data to remove high-FCI, high-age schools from the portfolio through closures, consolidations, or replacements, and to align facilities planning with enrollment trends and fiscal capacity.

The Facilities Conditions Assessment identifies approximately $906 million in capital renewal needs over the next 20 years, including $357 million in Priority 1 and 2 needs over the next decade alone.

Operating and maintaining underutilized schools with significant capital needs:

• Increases deferred maintenance liabilities.
• Diverts funding from classrooms and student supports.
• Reduces the division’s ability to invest strategically in modern, high-quality facilities.

By closing nine schools, the division can:

• Reduce long-term capital renewal obligations.
• Achieve meaningful operational and budget savings.
• Concentrate investments on fewer, better utilized schools.
• Support rebuilding, renovation, and repurposing projects aligned with the long-range facilities master plan.

The decision to close nine schools is a data-driven, fiscally responsible response to declining enrollment, widespread facility underutilization, and documented building condition challenges. By consolidating enrollment, reassigning approximately 3,155 students into better-conditioned schools, and targeting an 85% utilization standard, the division is positioning itself for long-term sustainability while ensuring students learn in safe, efficient, and modern environments.