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Plan for Memphis schools would fold 28 old schools into 10 new ones

Shelby County Schools’ outgoing leader wants to consolidate 28 schools into 10 new buildings.

Superintendent Dorsey Hopson on Tuesday unveiled his long-awaited plan to avoid massive deferred maintenance costs on crumbling school buildings.

If implemented, the plan could take up to 10 years, impact some 15,000 students, and could cost the district at least $700 million in building costs.

“We’re building schools. We’re taking kids in the inner city who have been traditionally underserved and putting them in brand new learning facilities,” Hopson said, presenting the proposal to the Shelby County Schools board, which has the final say on school closures.

Hopson, who leaves office next month for a job at insurance giant Cigna, is proposing that all but two of the closed buildings to be demolished — saving the district about $102 in deferred maintenance on those structures. Shelby County Schools business operations chief Beth Phalen also estimated an annual savings of between $15 million and $20 million from no longer operating the old buildings, and said that money could then be in the classroom.

The proposal echoes a model Hopson and county leaders have favored to build new neighborhood schools, even if it means that long-standing schools nearby would close. The first such example was Westhaven Elementary, which opened in 2016. It combined three elementary schools and quickly became overcrowded as families sent their students to the new building after years of choosing elsewhere. Westhaven Elementary was one of two schools in the district that the state recognized two years in a row for high academic growth.

PHOTO: Laura Faith Kebede/Chalkbeat
From left, board members Teresa Jones, Miska Clay Bibbs, and Stephanie Love listen to the district’s consolidation plan.

Before putting the Hopson’s plan into motion, Shelby County Schools staff will propose rezoning 22 schools for next school year. That would give some 3,200 students priority to attend a school closer to home.

Board members had a slew of questions about plans for individual schools, but also wondered how academic and extracurricular offerings would be maintained under the new arrangement.

“What was at the school they left and how will that be transferred to where they’re going?” said board member Teresa Jones. Hopson said that will be considered before consolidating the schools.

Notably, the plan does not include recommendations for how to consolidate schools with buildings used by the state-run Achievement School District, which started taking over Memphis schools in 2012. Hopson said he spoke with state leaders yesterday about “renewing commitment” to collaborate on future building plans for the next phase.

The district would also need buy-in from the county commission, which funds new construction, and Hopson is scheduled to present the proposal to the commissioners Wednesday.

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Phalen said the analysis of the district’s facilities is not complete and still needs to address alternative schools, technical education, and state-run schools.

Below is a list of the schools that would feed the new buildings being proposed:

  • Build a new Woodstock K-8: This is an updated version of a previous recommendation Hopson presented in 2016 to build a K-12 school at the site. The plan would consolidate all of E.E. Jeter K-8, Northaven Elementary, Lucy Elementary, and part of Woodstock Middle into the new building.
  • Build a new Raleigh-Egypt K-12 campus: Consolidate the rest of Woodstock Middle, part of Barret’s Chapel K-8, and all of Bolton High, Trezevant High, and Raleigh Egypt Middle-High, Lucy Elementary, and Egypt Elementary.
  • Build a new elementary in Orange Mound: Consolidate Bethel Grove Elementary, Dunbar Elementary, and Cherokee Elementary into a new building.
  • Build a new high school in the Parkway Village area: Consolidate all of Wooddale High, Sheffield High, and Oakhaven High into the new building.
  • Build a new JP Freeman Optional School with the existing student population.
  • Build a new elementary school in Hickory Hill: Consolidate all of Crump and Ross elementary schools into a new building.
  • Build a new high school in Cordova or convert Mt. Pisgah into a 6-12: Some students from Cordova High, Kingsbury High, White Station High, Germantown High, and Bolton High would attend the new high school. For the 6-12 option, some students from Bolton High, Germantown High, Germantown Middle, Cordova High, and Cordova Middle would be moved to Mt. Pisgah Middle.
  • Two others, Alcy Elementary and Goodlett Elementary, are already in process.

These schools would close and consolidate into existing buildings that are in better condition:

  • Consolidate Alton Elementary into A.B. Hill Elementary.
  • Consolidate Westwood High into Mitchell High.
  • Consolidate Hamilton Middle into Hamilton Elementary, making it a K-8 school.
  • Consolidate Georgian Hills Middle into Grandview Heights and build an addition.
  • Consolidate Scenic Hills Elementary into Lucie E. Campbell Elementary and build an addition.

All closed schools except Shady Grove Elementary and Ross Elementary would be demolished under the proposed plan.

You can read the district’s full presentation below.

The post Plan for Memphis schools would fold 28 old schools into 10 new ones appeared first on Chalkbeat.

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