Pinellas County Schools opened community meetings this week on a plan to close seven schools and redraw attendance zones across the district. For Dunedin Elementary families, the plan means new boundaries starting in 2027-28.

The district is projecting $25 million in recurring annual savings from the changes, which Superintendent Kevin Hendrick presented at a Sept. 10 board workshop. The plan touches 28 schools districtwide.

Community Meetings Run Through Early October

Site meetings began Sept. 14 and continue through Oct. 1 at individual school campuses. Tuesday's sessions started at 6 p.m. at Tarpon Springs Fundamental Elementary, John M. Sexton Elementary and Boca Ciega High School. Families can also offer public comment at the Sept. 22 school board meeting.

North County Faces Major Boundary Shifts

For North County families, the biggest impact may be boundary shifts. The district's Planning for Progress document calls for new attendance zones at Dunedin, Garrison-Jones, Sandy Lane and San Jose elementary schools and Carwise Middle School starting in the 2027-28 school year. According to that document, the changes aim to balance enrollment and reduce students crossing major roadways.

Students already enrolled at a school whose zone changes can stay through a Special Assignment Request. The district will not provide transportation for those students.

Seven Schools Recommended for Closure

The seven schools recommended for closure are Kings Highway Elementary, Tarpon Springs Fundamental Elementary, Tarpon Springs Middle, Blanton Elementary, Bear Creek Elementary, John M. Sexton Elementary and Lealman Innovation Academy. In North County, Tarpon Springs Fundamental and Tarpon Springs Middle would close at the end of the 2026-27 school year. A new fundamental K-8 school would open on the Tarpon Springs Middle campus in 2027-28, and the Tarpon Springs Middle zone would shift to Carwise Middle, affecting about 1,117 students.

"It's about $25 million dollars in recurring operating expenses," Hendrick said at the Sept. 10 workshop, according to WTSP. "The question is, how is that spent? It's put back into the operating fund for teacher raises, staff raises, program improvements."

Empty Seats Drove Push for Consolidation

The district built its schools for 115,000 students but now enrolls roughly 70,000, leaving about 45,000 empty seats, according to WFLA. Hendrick said no teacher jobs would be lost because of anticipated retirements and attrition. The plan also carries a one-time capital cost of $6.9 million.

Final Vote Scheduled for Mid-October

School board member Eileen Long said at the Sept. 10 workshop that closing schools is difficult but that the majority of students will benefit. Families affected by closures will get first access to magnet and fundamental school choice programs, Hendrick said. An address lookup tool on the district's Planning for Progress page lets families check whether their household falls in a changed zone.

The school board will review community feedback at an Oct. 6 workshop, with a final vote scheduled for the Oct. 13 board meeting.