Pinellas County School Board Approves Two Closures as Enrollment Falls

The Pinellas County School Board voted Tuesday to shutter Cross Bayou Elementary in Pinellas Park and Disston Academy in Gulfport when the 2025-26 school year wraps up. These decisions stem from the district's Planning for Progress initiative.

Cross Bayou Elementary educates about 250 kids. It sits at 40% capacity with 610 total seats. The building needs $5.1 million in repairs and upgrades. Disston Academy, an alternative program for grades 6 through 12, houses around 70 students and limps along at 20% utilization despite having room for 311.

Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said shuttering these schools will free up cash. Cross Bayou's closure is expected to produce $3 million in annual savings. Disston Academy's shutdown will eliminate about $2 million in deferred maintenance plus another $2 million in yearly costs.

"Closing a school in a neighborhood is a significant decision," Hendrick said, according to FOX 13.

Student numbers have plummeted. This school year the district saw 68% enrollment compared to 87% a decade back. Birth rates have declined. Housing costs have squeezed out families who can't afford to stay.

Just one family spoke against closing Cross Bayou at the meeting. "I hope all ya'll reconsider what you are doing to Cross Bayou Elementary and the people who care about it," said student Malachi Gerke.

The board greenlit consolidations too. Bay Point Elementary and Bay Point Middle will merge into one K-8 institution on the middle school campus beginning in 2027-28. Bay Point Elementary runs at 47% utilization, while Bay Point Middle operates at 35% capacity. Merging them will require $1.5 million in construction but will trim $2.8 million per year in operating expenses.

Oldsmar Elementary will grow into a K-8 starting in the 2026-27 school year. The campus runs at 57% utilization now. When every seat fills in three years, that rate will jump past 95%. Improvements will cost less than $500,000.

"Kindergartners are not going to be side by side with 8th graders. We have K-8 models already in the district that are highly desired. We cannot say enough good things about them," said school board member Dawn Peters.

District leaders pledged that no school-based staff members will lose their jobs. Workers will receive offers at other locations. Both shuttered properties will either be sold or leased.