Bibb County considers consolidating schools, but public has chance for input. What to know

Over 100 community members and school leaders attended the Bibb County School District’s virtual town hall meeting Thursday to engage in its evaluation of potential future school consolidation options.

The district wants community feedback outside of its 55-member steering committee to explore options that address the district’s declining student enrollment, underutilized facilities and reported budget constraints, Deputy Superintendent Katika Lovett said.

While no specific schools have been picked to close yet, community members raised concerns about how a consolidation can impact school culture, class sizes, teachers’ jobs, rezoning and more.

Yolanda Grayer, Southwest High School family engagement facilitator asked how schools’ cultures would be addressed if staff and students merged during a consolidation.

“We wouldn’t be looking to completely eliminate the identity of one school over the over — but to bring those two together in a meaningful way,” Lovett answered, noting that the district successfully did so in the past.

Lovett added that class sizes may be affected, but the district hasn’t reached a place in its assessment process where it can definitively announce there would be larger student groups.

BCSD Superintendent Dan Sims reminded attendees that the consolidation of two schools also increases staff allocations.

“A critical part of this will not just be adding more students with the same staff,” Sims said. “That’s going to help us to control a class size, and it will always be our goal to maintain reasonable class sizes.”

Macon public schools face low enrollment

Bibb County Schools’ consolidation review drives decision-making at a time when the district is facing low attendance and student enrollment, which causes a decrease in state funding.

Student enrollment in Bibb County schools dropped between 2018 and 2021 but has remained steady since, according to Dara Foy, BCSD director of research, evaluation, assessment and accountability. She noted that the bulk of the decline occurred when the Academy for Classical Education transitioned from a local charter school to a state-approved charter in 2019.

Foy said the district has capacity for 24,600 enrolled students, but it currently has only 21,337 enrolled. Bibb County elementary schools can accommodate about 2,000 more students; middle schools around 400 more; and high schools right at 1,000 more.

BCSD teacher Farryn Slaton-Barkley asked if the district’s data trends have determined where the students have gone within the last five years.

Foy said other educational opportunities in surrounding areas or with the Georgia Cyber Academy boost student choice, but officials could not specify a reason for students’ departures.

Sims said the district works to attract more students and families in the county by staying active on social media, maintaining strong relationships with local entities and focusing on community engagement.

More ways to engage

The district is exploring school consolidation to increase cost efficiency and improve resource allocations and support for Macon students.

BCSD Chief Financial Officer Eric Bush said the closing of schools can save money on building maintenance and administrative staff, but it’s too early in the process to determine anything.

Once the review process ends, officials can determine how the saved money would be reallocated without jeopardizing students’ support needs, Bush added.

District officials are also considering various key factors, such as facility age, renovation costs and building size, to form any consolidation decisions, Lovett said.

Bibb County Schools are currently in phase three of a four-phase assessment plan, with officials gathering community input through conducted questionnaires or town hall meetings and developing preliminary scenarios, which include scenarios where schools are consolidated and others where they arent.

The district encourages all Macon community members to voice their concerns and provide feedback through a survey portal, which will remain open until November 22.

More community forums and focus groups will take place in January, Lovett said.

“This is so critical. We are not trying to do this in a bubble,” Sims said to the attendees. “Please stay connected.”

This story was originally published November 15, 2024 at 3:18 PM.