LUMBERTON — No county schools are under consideration for closure and consolidation at this time, according to a statement by the Public Schools of Robeson County.
After four schools were closed before this school year began, speculation has circulated about the next possible school, or schools, targeted for closure. The statement appears to have been issued to put rumors to rest.
“No specific schools — or any specific number of schools — have been considered for closure at this time for the upcoming school year,” according to the statement from Superintendent Shanita Wooten’s office. “Public Schools of Robeson County district leaders want to dispel any and all rumors about schools closing, which may be a distraction to students, faculty, staff and local communities.”
The schools closed before the start of the 2019-20 school year were Green Grove Elementary, Rowland Middle, R.B. Dean Elementary and Janie Hargrave Elementary. They were among Robeson County’s smallest and oldest schools and had seen enrollment decline for several years. South Robeson High School also ceased to exist as a high school. It is now home to students pulled from the former Rowland and Fairgrove middle schools.
“Under last year’s cost-savings plan, historically under-enrolled schools were first up for district review for the closure/consolidation plan,” Wooten’s statement reads in part. “Other considerations included, but were not limited to, housing and population trends, academic performance and building conditions.”
The county’s public schools district was under extreme budget pressure this past summer, and the small schools required staffing for media centers, physical education and other programs that were not economical on a per-pupil basis. Along with a reduction in certified staff, the schools have saved $2.5 million compared with the previous school year.
The schools also are under pressure academically. Twenty-five of 39 schools received either Ds or Fs on the annual grade card for 2018-19 and the schools ranked among the state’s low-performing.
“Our ultimate goal is to get as many students as possible into modern and updated schools because 21st century learning spaces for our children are critical as we prepare them for their futures,” Wooten said.
The closure process was painful for the school board, which took three votes back and forth before final action was taken.
Schools with fewer than 500 students and showed enrollment declines were among the first to be considered for closure. While the need for cost savings may continue, scrutiny of schools may also continue.
There will be no sneak attacks.
“However, the district would like to reassure the school communities that if a plan to close a school had been proposed, it would include official notices and hearings to allow for public comments and community input,” Wooten said. “Anything else is pure speculation.”
