Dunedin Elementary is not on Pinellas County Schools' proposed closure list, but some families could still be affected by attendance-zone changes.
Pinellas County Schools is heading into a decisive week of meetings on Superintendent Kevin Hendrick's plan to close or consolidate schools as the district grapples with declining enrollment and thousands of empty seats.
The proposal includes attendance-zone changes affecting Dunedin Elementary, Garrison-Jones Elementary and San Jose Elementary, according to Tampa Bay Beacons.
The School Board will hold a workshop Tuesday, Oct. 6, to review Hendrick's recommendations and feedback gathered from families. A final vote is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Seven schools face closure or consolidation
Hendrick's recommendations would close Blanton Elementary, Bear Creek Elementary, Kings Highway Elementary, Sexton Elementary and Lealman Innovation at the end of the 2026-27 school year.
The proposal would also close Tarpon Springs Fundamental Elementary and Tarpon Springs Middle and create a fundamental K-8 school. The original recommendation calls for the new school to operate on the Tarpon Springs Middle campus.
Azalea Elementary would transition into a K-8 school and relocate to the Azalea Middle campus beginning in the 2028-29 school year.
The recommendations are part of the district's Planning for Progress initiative, which seeks to address declining enrollment and underused school buildings.
Cross Bayou Elementary and Disston Academy closed at the end of the 2025-26 school year during an earlier phase of the initiative.
Hendrick told the board in September that 45 district schools were operating below 60% capacity and 41 elementary schools had fewer than 300 students.
The district currently enrolls about 85,800 students.
The proposal is expected to save about $25 million annually while eliminating nearly 5,000 unused student seats. Converting buildings for other uses would cost just under $7 million.
"We know that these enrollment challenges will continue because we know what the birth rates are in Pinellas County and we know what cost of living is," Hendrick said at the Sept. 22 School Board meeting, according to WUSF.
Board considers alternatives
The proposal could still change before the Oct. 13 vote.
School Board Chair Caprice Edmond has asked the district to analyze closing Woodlawn Elementary instead of Sexton Elementary.
She also requested an analysis of alternatives for Tarpon Springs Fundamental, including the possibility of relocating the program to Tarpon Springs Elementary or Sunset Hills Elementary as a K-8 school.
The requests followed opposition from families during the first round of community meetings.
Superintendent Kevin Hendrick subsequently postponed the second round of meetings until after the Oct. 6 workshop so families could receive updated information if the board changes any of the recommendations.
Community meetings continue through Oct. 12
The district has scheduled another round of community meetings before the final vote. All meetings will be held in the schools' cafeterias.
- Tuesday, Oct. 6, 6 p.m. — Blanton Elementary and Pinellas Park Elementary
- Wednesday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m. — Bear Creek Elementary and Kings Highway Elementary
- Thursday, Oct. 8, 3 p.m. — Lealman Innovation
- Monday, Oct. 12, 6 p.m. — Sexton Elementary, Tarpon Springs Fundamental and Tarpon Springs Middle
Pinellas Park Elementary is not simply being closed under the proposal. The district recommends converting the campus into a fundamental K-5 school beginning in the 2027-28 school year, which would eliminate its existing neighborhood attendance zone.
The district's Planning for Progress page provides recommendations, meeting information and other materials ahead of the Oct. 13 vote.
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