City Schools of Decatur leaders say no elementary schools will close for the 2026 to 2027 school year, offering immediate relief to families who feared their campuses were at risk.
The district had been considering whether to close or consolidate five schools because of declining enrollment.
Parents pushed back and packed meetings, saying the process felt rushed and blindsided families.
“This school is our second home essentially,” said Jessica Cino, whose twin first-graders attend Westchester Elementary School. “Their best friends go here, we love their teachers. This is a really important part of our community.”
Cino said the proposal came without warning. “It was something that came as a surprise,” she said. “They just sort of announced we’re going to close the school, and we’re going to start that process now.”
Parents learned last month the district was working with an outside consultant to evaluate possible closures. That prompted immediate resistance.
“We didn’t want it to close,” said James Hylton, whose daughter is in second grade.
On Tuesday, families got a reprieve. The district announced that any final decisions from its K through 2 School Utilization Process will not affect the 2026-27 school year.
“Excellent decision,” Hylton said. “We feel like our voices were heard. We came together as a community and spoke out.”
“It’s a great decision,” Cino said. “It’s a short-term fix.”
Parents say they are relieved but still wary about what comes next. “It still leaves us all a little bit cautious as to what could come,” Cino said.
Rachel Sedlack-Prittey, whose son is in second grade, said transparency will be essential. “So long as the community is brought into the discussion and has a chance to analyze the data in a transparent way, I feel we can come to the best solution together,” she said.
SEE ALSO:
- Save Decatur Schools’ group forms to fight possible campus shutdowns
- Decatur school board discussing possible school closures
The board declined an on-camera interview, but spokesperson Mikkal Hart Murunga issued a statement. “At a Board of Education retreat on Tuesday, November 18, the City Schools of Decatur Board of Education, in response to community feedback, agreed to move forward with the administration’s recommendation that any final decision on the K-2 School Utilization Process would not impact the 2026-2027 school year,” the statement said.
The board said its priority is balancing enrollment, building use and staffing while preserving the culture of the district’s small neighborhood schools. It also said the utilization process is not connected to plans for a new Early Childhood Learning Center.
According to the district, community-led committees will begin meeting in January 2026 to help shape long-term solutions.
