Pinellas County School Board approves K–8 conversions, two school closures and charter renewal

The Pinellas County School Board on Feb. 24 voted unanimously on a package of school consolidations and program changes intended to reduce facility costs and align academic pathways.

The board approved combining Bay Point Elementary and Bay Point Middle into a single K–8 on the middle school campus beginning in the 2728 school year, with the district estimating a one-time capital cost of $1,500,000 and $2,800,000 in annual operational savings. Superintendent Hendrick said the elementary campus currently operates at about 47% utilization and that the consolidation aligns science and technology magnet programs to the Lakewood High Center for Advanced Technologies.

The board also approved expanding Oldsmar Elementary into a K–8, phasing in grade 6 in 2627 and reaching grade 8 in 2829. Oldsmar’s reported utilization is 57%; district staff said minor capital improvements would cost less than $500,000 and that no net new operating costs are anticipated, only reallocation within the existing budget.

Separately, trustees approved creating a North County employee childcare center at McMullen Booth Elementary to serve infants through age 3 beginning in 2627. District officials estimated a one-time capital cost of about $700,000 and said the program is expected to become self-sustaining within two years.

The board voted to close Cross Bayou Elementary at the end of the 2526 school year. Superintendent Hendrick told the board Cross Bayou serves roughly 250 K–5 students, has 40% utilization and more than $5,000,000 in deferred maintenance; the district projected approximately $3,000,000 in annual operations savings from the closure and plans future rezoning of affected students to nearby Pinellas Central and Bardmore elementary schools.

The board also approved the closure of Distant (Disson) Academy, an educational alternative services site that serves about 70 students and reported a building utilization rate of 20%. The district said teleschool (a virtual program housed on that site) serving approximately 200 students will relocate to Bayside High School and that closing the facility would reduce deferred maintenance liability and free roughly $2,000,000 in capital budget needs plus an estimated $2,000,000 in annual operational savings.

On charter matters, the board approved a one-year renewal for Pinellas Micro School of Integrated Academics and Technologies to allow corrective action on attendance reporting, FTE accuracy and services for exceptional student education students. Discovery Academy of Science received board approval to expand to a second location after the board reviewed the replication application.

Votes at a glance - Adopt agenda (as amended): carried, 7–0. - Proclamation, Newspaper and Education Week (item 4.1): carried, 7–0. - Proclamation, National School Breakfast Week (item 4.2): carried, 7–0. - Consent agenda (as amended): carried, 7–0. - Discovery Academy replication (item 7.2): carried, 7–0. - Bay Point K–8 consolidation (item 8.1): carried, 7–0. Estimated one-time capital: $1,500,000; estimated annual operations savings: $2,800,000. - Oldsmar K–8 expansion (item 8.2): carried, 7–0. Reported current utilization: 57%; minor capital <$500,000. - Employee childcare expansion at McMullen Booth (item 8.3): carried, 7–0. One-time capital: ~$700,000; expected self-sustaining in two years. - Cross Bayou Elementary closure (item 8.4): carried, 7–0. Reported enrollment ~250; utilization 40%; deferred maintenance >$5,000,000; estimated annual savings $3,000,000. - Distant Academy closure (item 8.5): carried, 7–0. Reported enrollment ~70; utilization 20%; teleschool ~200 students; estimated capital savings $2,000,000 and operations savings $2,000,000 annually. - Micro School renewal (item 8.6): carried, 7–0. One-year renewal for corrective action.

Why it matters Board members framed the actions as responses to long-term declines in school-age population, rising maintenance costs and the goal of concentrating programs and magnet pathways. Superintendent Hendrick and board members repeatedly noted that community feedback and multiple workshops informed the recommendations and that staff will work to ensure smooth transitions, transportation and placement options for affected students.

Public reaction and next steps Several parents, students and staff spoke during public comment asking the board to reconsider closures, to preserve on-site leadership during transitions and to protect specialized programs for students with disabilities. The district said rezoning and program transitions will be addressed in follow-up actions and community meetings. The board recorded requests for further monitoring of charter schools and for staff to provide additional documentation (for example, National History Day award submissions) as follow-ups.

The actions approved tonight will be implemented on the timelines the district described; specific rezoning decisions and property disposition (sale or lease) were noted as future board actions.