Caddo Parish trustees approve closures and consolidations for three neighborhood schools

The Caddo Parish School Board voted April 15 to approve staff plans to close three neighborhood schools and consolidate their students into nearby campuses.

The board approved a plan to close Queensborough Elementary at the end of the 2024–25 school year; to close Blanchard Elementary at the end of the 2025–26 school year and consolidate it into Donnie Bickham (which the district will convert to a pre-K–8 campus); and to close 80 First Street ECE at the end of the 2025–26 school year and assign those students to Atkins Elementary. The motions were made during the meeting’s business portion and passed after an extended public comment period in which dozens of residents, teachers and community groups urged the board to delay or reconsider the actions.

Why this matters: board members and staff said the moves respond to long-term enrollment declines and funding shortfalls tied to the state funding formula, while opponents said the closures will disrupt children, particularly early‑childhood and special‑needs students, and will harm neighborhood stability. Parents and teachers repeatedly asked for more community meetings, clearer transition plans and assurances that services will follow students.

Board and staff said the closures are part of a broader “right‑sizing” effort. Superintendent Keith Burton framed the proposals as efforts to move students into schools with more certified…