Pasco County officials propose converting Pasco campuses to K–8; board vote set for Feb. 17

Pasco County School District leaders presented a plan at a workshop to convert Pasco Elementary and Pasco Middle into a single Pasco K–8 campus and to phase Lacoochee Elementary into a K–8 model, officials said. The district said the changes are driven primarily by academic goals — continuity, rigor and behavior supports — rather than cost savings.

"This isn't about cost saving measures," said the Superintendent (unnamed in the transcript). "This is really driven by a need to increase academic rigor, academic opportunity, consistency, and behavior." The district described local successes with K–8 campuses and said it expects to bring similar benefits to East Pasco neighborhoods.

District staff proposed beginning Pasco K–8 in the 2026–27 school year and said the board will vote on both conversions on February 17. If approved, Pasco would open in August 2026; Lacoochee would add middle grades in successive years under a phased plan that would add sixth grade in 2027–28,…