Families packed community forums across Pinellas County on Sept. 15, demanding Superintendent Kevin Hendrick scrap a plan to close seven schools after the 2026-27 school year.

The meetings, held at John M. Sexton Elementary School, Boca Ciega High School and Tarpon Springs Fundamental Elementary, drew parents, former staff and community members who say the district's "Planning for Progress" proposal puts finances ahead of children. The plan also triggers attendance-zone changes at schools not slated for closure, including Dunedin Elementary, as we reported Sept. 15.

At Sexton Elementary, Hendrick spent about an hour fielding questions from an audience that included Shenna Bennett, a former staff member, and parents who challenged the rationale for shuttering their school, Spectrum Bay News 9 reported.

"My son is happy when he comes home from school … To close this school because of a strictly financial perspective would be a poor choice if you do not consider the impact to the community that this has," parent Jessica Kohlhaas said at the Sept. 15 forum, according to Bay News 9.

Proposal targets seven schools amid enrollment decline

Hendrick released the proposal on Sept. 10. It targets Tarpon Springs Fundamental, Kings Highway, Blanton, Azalea, Bear Creek and Sexton elementary schools, plus Lealman Innovation Academy. The district projects the closures would save about $25 million a year in operating costs and eliminate nearly 5,000 empty seats. Converting buildings for new uses would cost just under $7 million.

The district currently has roughly 45,000 unused student seats. Pinellas County averaged about 10,000 births a year in the 1990s, compared with fewer than 7,000 now, according to Fox 13. The University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research expects the county's school-age population to decrease or plateau through 2050.

Smallest schools face steepest enrollment losses

Several of the targeted schools have small enrollments. Sexton serves 298 students. Bear Creek has 189. Kings Highway has about 168.

Hendrick told families at the Sept. 15 meeting that the Sexton campus could be leased to the YMCA if the school closes, according to Fox 13. The district said it does not expect any staff to lose jobs, citing retirements and attrition.

Dunedin, other schools face boundary changes

For Dunedin Elementary families, the plan does not close their school but redraws attendance boundaries. Garrison-Jones and San Jose elementary schools face similar zone changes. The district has not released details on which neighborhoods would shift.

Teachers union flags transportation concerns

Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association President Tracey McConnell raised a separate concern when the plan was announced Sept. 10. Fundamental schools do not provide transportation, and converting neighborhood schools to that model could force families without cars to move their children, she told WTSP.

Parents rally and petition to save Sexton

A Change.org petition to keep Sexton open had collected more than 750 signatures as of Sept. 15, according to WUSF. Parent Jacquelyn Hussey started the petition and said supporters were showing QR codes at the car line every morning and knocking on local businesses.

District's second closure round in two years

This is the district's second round of closures. The board voted in February to shut Cross Bayou Elementary and Disston Academy at the end of the 2025-26 school year. After Cross Bayou closed, 199 of its 209 students stayed enrolled in the district.

Public comment, final vote set for October

The board will take public comment at a Sept. 22 meeting in Largo, hold a workshop to review feedback on Oct. 6 and cast a final vote on Oct. 13.