A Deeper Dive: The Richmond County School System’s Proposed 5 Year Plan
AUGUSTA, Ga (WJBF) – School consolidations and closings have been the hot topics among Richmond County public school parents lately.
According to consultants hired by the school board, enrollment has declined by more than seven percent in the last 10 years.
Turns out, the Centers for Disease Control reports nationally the rate of births has been declining.
This, coupled with more parents home-schooling and sending kids to private schools, has created a need for change locally.
Years ago, cars would creep along many streets carefully maneuvering around kids who were playing.
Those kids grew up leaving not only empty streets, but, also empty classrooms.
According to a consultant group HP Leadership hired by the Richmond County Board of Education, while the population within the county has increased by nearly 3.4% since 2014 the births, birth rates and Richmond County school enrollment have declined.
This has resulted in hard discussions about hard decisions being made to cut down on schools with lower attendance in an effort to increase state funding.
Those discussions involved multiple sessions with concerned parents learning about a 5 year plan which includes consolidating some schools and closing others.
“I have been a teacher in this system for almost 30 years and I’ve seen several right sizings and this one is hitting home because we’re talking about high schools. We’re talking about opposing neighborhoods and the people who work in the schools know this is real,” says meeting attendee Ulycia Frazier.
While high schools are in the long range plan.. right now immediate changes are the focus.
For the 2024 – 2025 school year, it’s proposed that Belair K-8 would become Belair Elementary School, and a new Belair Middle School would open that same year.
Richmond Hill K-8 would turn into Richmond Hill Elementary School, and the current site would become Richmond Hill Middle School.
Langford Middle would consolidate with Tutt Middle and a new Langford Middle School would be built for both schools.
Spirit Creek Middle School and A. Brian Merry Elementary would be closed.
Long time educator and School Board member Walter Eubanks says the shorter term plans will help in the long run especially for programs like special education.
“We don’t have enough special ed to cover the county. So, the fewer schools, fewer buildings we have the better off we are,” he explains.
According to the consultant group’s presentation.. the changes are about dollars and making sense fiscally.
16 out of 28 elementary schools are currently below the 450 enrollment needed for
minimum program State funding.
Six (6) out of eight (8) middle schools are currently below the 640 enrollment needed for
minimum program State funding.
Four (4) out of eight (8) high schools are currently below the 970 enrollment needed for
minimum program State funding.
Glenn Hills High school is one of the schools suggested for closure later in the five year plan.
Patricia Geter is a graduate of the school and says a quality education is more valuable than memories from a building.
She says, “I think that all children should have the opportunity to thrive and when a school is not thriving, it doesn’t have programs it’s a sick school. So, I’m not for underperforming schools. I’m for programs for our children.”
While the consolidating and closing of schools could increase money for programs, at least one school board member says it should also be about increasing education success for students.
“My concern is no matter what building we move in, no matter how technology equipt the building is, what does it mean if we got children come out of those schools not prepared for the workforce or barely can read with a high school diploma in their hands?” asks Dr. Wayne Frazier.
On Tuesday, the Richmond county school board is expected to make a decision on the 2024 – 2025 portion of the Master Plan.
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