Parents and residents urge council to oppose Jefferson Houston elementary closure

Scores of parents and neighbors used the public‑comment period to press Council to intervene after the Alexandria City Public Schools’ plan to convert Jefferson Houston from a pre‑K–8 school into a middle school drew strong local opposition.

A Jefferson Houston parent who identified herself during testimony described the school as a walkable community hub and said she feared losing neighborhood cohesion if the school is converted. “Do not fund to eliminate JH,” one parent told the council, citing the community’s reliance on the school’s services and a roughly $38–$40 million renovation number cited by different speakers.

Speakers detailed specific concerns: high percentages of students who are economically disadvantaged, the school’s role as a site for wraparound services, and claims that the school board presented an incomplete engagement process. Several speakers said ACPS did not provide adequate notice or genuine opportunities for community input before advancing the closure proposal.

Advocates called on the council to urge the school board to slow the process, engage families and neighbors more fully, explore alternatives such as locating a new middle school site, and protect Title I and special‑education services located at Jefferson Houston.

Council members heard the testimony but the school‑reconfiguration decision lies with the school board; council did not take binding action on the matter during this meeting. Members indicated they would continue conversations with the school board and staff in coming weeks.