Pinellas County Will Close Bear Creek, Blanton, Kings Highway, Lealman and Pinellas Park Elementary in a Plan the District Says Saves About $25 Million a Year

Families at five Pinellas County schools now know their campuses will not reopen as they are today. On Oct. 13, the Pinellas County School Board voted to close Bear Creek Elementary, Blanton Elementary, Kings Highway Elementary Magnet, Lealman Innovation Academy and Pinellas Park Elementary, FOX 13 reported. The district says its broader plan could save about $25 million a year as enrollment keeps falling.

Which Schools Are Closing and When

The five schools on the final closure list are Bear Creek Elementary, Blanton Elementary, Kings Highway Elementary Magnet, Lealman Innovation Academy and Pinellas Park Elementary. According to Tampa Bay 28, the closures take effect going into the 2027-28 school year, which means students finish the current year at their schools.

The Pinellas Park campus will not sit empty. FOX 13 reported that a new fundamental elementary school will open there.

John M. Sexton Elementary had been on an earlier version of the list, but it was removed after parents raised concerns about enrollment and other issues. Spectrum Bay News 9 reported that the district planned to review Sexton again later in October.

Other Schools Being Combined or Moved

The vote also reshapes several schools that are staying open. Sunset Hills Elementary and Tarpon Springs Middle will combine into a K-8 school, and Tarpon Springs Fundamental Elementary will grow into a K-8 campus at the Sunset Hills site.

In St. Petersburg, Azalea Elementary will become a K-8 school, and Azalea Middle will move to the Boca Ciega High School campus. A separate plan to turn Boca Ciega into a technical high school is aimed at the 2028-2029 school year and was not part of the Oct. 13 vote.

For families at those schools, the change is less about losing a building and more about new grade spans, new classmates and in some cases a new drive in the morning.

Why the District Says It Had to Act

District leaders pointed to declining enrollment. Fewer children are being born in Pinellas County than a generation ago. FOX 13 reported that the county averaged about 10,000 births a year in the 1990s, compared with fewer than 7,000 now.

When Superintendent Kevin Hendrick first presented the plan in September, he said the district had about 45,000 open seats, Bay News 9 reported. The broader proposal approved this month would eliminate nearly 5,000 unused seats.

The district has also looked at who is choosing its schools. Of children born in Pinellas in 2020, 68% were enrolled in Pinellas County Schools last year, according to Bay News 9, and University of Florida researchers project the county’s school-age population will plateau by 2050. Axios Tampa Bay reported that officials linked the enrollment drop to falling birth rates and affordability challenges for young families.

Hendrick has also framed the plan as a budget issue. The St. Pete Catalyst reported that he said the district has “an obligation to balance the budget.” Keeping underused buildings open costs money for maintenance, utilities and staffing that could go elsewhere. After the vote, Hendrick told FOX 13 that the district’s job is to produce the best schools possible and that its school performance remains strong.

What Parents Said Before and After the Vote

More than 60 people spoke during public comment on the night of the vote. Some parents said they understood the finances but worried about losing close-knit schools.

Sabrina Pennywell, a Bear Creek parent, described her school to Tampa Bay 28 as “a community, it’s a village.” Kianna Carter, the grandparent of a Bear Creek student, said the school’s location close to home lets her reach her grandchild quickly if needed.

Sami Leigh Scott, the grandparent of a Blanton student, started a petition to keep that school open and said she is still fighting for it. At Sunset Hills, teacher Alison Harris told FOX 13 that merging with a middle school is hard to wrap one’s head around.

What Happens Next for Families

Students at the five closing schools will start the 2027-28 year at different campuses. In September, Hendrick said affected families “will get the first right of refusal” on school choice options tied to the changes, according to Bay News 9.

Parents at the affected schools can watch for letters and school choice dates from Pinellas County Schools over the coming months. It is also worth asking the current school about transition events, such as visits to the new campus, which can make the move easier for younger children.

The district held community meetings at affected campuses in September and early October before the vote, and the board took public comment again on Oct. 13. Families who missed those meetings can still contact their school or the district office with questions about boundaries, transportation and programs for students with special needs.

The Sexton review and the Boca Ciega technical school plan are still ahead, so more changes may come before the district’s next school year planning is finished.

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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.

Image: Ktkvtsh – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons