NEWSroom
10/14 WSB Radio
“Decatur parents push back against possible K-2 school closure”
Parent Bernard Fraga says the potential closure feels rushed. “It’s really hard to believe that they’re moving as fast as they seem to be,” he said.
10/14 11Alive
“Parents upset that Decatur City Schools may close one of its K-2 elementary schools”
10/14 Decaturish.com
“Decatur School Board discusses closing school, approves bond”
Westchester and Fifth Avenue Elementary parent Ben Brewer asked the board to pause and evaluate district data before making any decisions about possibly closing a school. He also discussed the long-term impact this decision could have and wants the discussion to continue.
“We heard earlier today that a financial decision on closing a school would be made in less than two months … A rushed process does not build confidence in our community. It erodes it,” Brewer said.
10/14 WSB-TV
“Decatur elementary school could close because there are too few students”
“I know this is a passionate community. I know we have very smart board members, we have very smart constituents, and I think with everyone’s input, we can come up with a solution that doesn’t include closing a school,” parent Eva Bozeman said.
10/14 Atlanta News First
“City Schools of Decatur considers closing elementary school"
In a statement, the parent-led Save Decatur Schools group accuses the board of pushing an “aggressive timeline” that doesn’t leave enough room for community input. The dissenters also worry about overcrowding at other schools if the plan goes through.
10/15 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“City Schools of Decatur considers closing K-2 school”
Rudy Colberg is also a Westchester parent lobbying for the school to stay open. With a background in management consulting, Colberg thinks the district’s focus on expenses is short-sighted.
“I see it as, honestly, an incomplete assessment,” he said. “They’re solving for an immediate pain point … and taking a myopic view to just solve for cost without understanding the multitude of other implications.”
10/21 Axios Atlanta
“Decatur parents fight to stop possible school closure”
News of the potential closure was a surprise to Eva Bozeman, who has a kindergartener at Westchester Elementary School.
"Everybody got mobilized around trying to first figure out if it was indeed happening, and then secondly, what's the information or what's the rationale behind it," Bozeman told Axios.
10/28 WSB-TV
“‘Save Decatur Schools’ group forms to oppose consolidation plans”
Parents in Decatur are opposing a plan to consolidate schools due to declining enrollment, with a public hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
The City Schools of Decatur is considering consolidating five K-2nd grade facilities as some schools have fewer than 200 students.
A group called ‘Save Decatur Schools’ has formed to oppose the plan, advocating for a delay in the decision.
10/28 Decaturish.com
“Decatur Schools plans hearing on K-2 closure, redistricting”
City Schools of Decatur is set to host its first scheduled public hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 29 at Beacon Hill Middle School from 6:30-8 p.m. for the community to give input about a potential K-2 school closure.
Two options for a decision were required to be posted on the district’s website at least two days prior to Oct. 27, but none were shown. As a result, the hearing will not count as one of the two public hearings required by law for a public school closure, according to a CSD press release.
10/29 Atlanta News First
“Decatur parents, students speak out against potential closure of K-2 school”
City Schools of Decatur held a public meeting to discuss the potential closure of one of its five lower elementary schools.
The school district emphasized that Wednesday’s meeting was about listening and learning, not making any decisions on potential closures.
However, Wednesday’s meeting did not count as one of two public hearing required by law for a school closure.
10/30 The Champion
“Stakeholders say ‘no’ to considering CSD school closure”
Parents, teachers, staff and students packed into the lunchroom of City Schools of Decatur’s Beacon Hill Middle School on Oct. 29 to learn – and voice questions and concerns about – a possible elementary school closure.
Officials with City School of Decatur (CSD) said the public hearing was prompted by the district receiving more than 600 emails and calls from the community after discussing school consolidation and redistricting at a board of education (BOE) retreat earlier this year.
10/30 Decaturish.com
“Decatur parents voice concern over potential school closure”
The City Schools of Decatur community voiced frustration during a night of “listening” at Beacon Hill Middle School.
Parents arrived seeking information on the district’s potential plan, which could involve redistricting for K-2 students and school closures. But school officials said they had no plans to present and were there to take feedback, which did not go over well.
11/10 Decaturish.com
“Decatur pumps brakes on K-2 school closure decision”
The City Schools of Decatur’s discussion about potentially closing a K-2 school is slowing down following community pushback.
The Decatur School Board will meet on Nov. 11 to discuss the idea. Third-party vendor Education Planners is leading the redistricting and consolidation process. School Board members will evaluate an extended timeline for the process after many parents expressed concerns that things were moving too quickly. The process, initiated in October, was initially expected to be completed by December. It is unclear when the school board plans to make a decision within the expanded discussion timeline.
11/11 FOX 5 Atlanta
“‘Save Decatur Schools’ group forms to fight possible campus shutdowns”
Parents in Decatur are pushing back against a proposal to close one of the city’s K-2 elementary schools, saying the district hasn’t made its case for consolidation.
11/12 Decaturish.com
“Decatur School Board pulls back on K-2 closure talks”
The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education changed course, expanding the K-2 school closure decision process after hundreds of community members asked the board to slow things down.
One alternative being explored is keeping under-enrolled K-2 schools open by adding Pre-K students.
The process led by a third-party vendor called Education Planners included the potential closure of one of the five K-2 schools, which has been called a “nuclear option” by many in the community.
11/18 Decaturish.com
“Decatur School Board confirms no school closure next year”
A frustrated Decatur School Board agreed that whatever it decides regarding K-2 school closures will not affect the upcoming school year.
The affirmation followed comments made during a recent School Board meeting, in which board members signaled they wanted to pump the brakes on the school closure discussion.
During a retreat on Tuesday afternoon, the School Board worked to refine its messaging on school redistricting amid intense community pushback. While the board could not formally vote on the topic, they could and did form a consensus. The school administration recommended that the board declare its intentions not to change anything before next year.
11/19 Atlanta News First
“Decatur School Board won’t close K-2 schools next year”
The Decatur school board decided not to close any K-2 schools next year.
Parents who were opposed to the plans said they were relieved to hear about the decision.
“I am certainly very encouraged by the board’s decision. I think from now it’s, ‘How do we ensure we’re not doing this again next year?’” Thomas Moore, a parent, said. “So, really, we want to find a solution that’s going to take that off the table altogether.”
Moore told Atlanta News First he was initially concerned about the rushed timing and the lack of communication about why closures were necessary.
12/1 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Parents are cautiously optimistic as Decatur slows down school closure plans”
The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education has agreed to slow down its school utilization process, bringing relief to some parents and other community members.
In response to feedback at community meetings, board members agreed at a retreat last Tuesday not to make a decision that would affect the 2026-27 school year.
12/8 Decaturish.com
“Decatur School Board wants ‘keep open’ strategy for K-2”
Two months ago, the school board began discussing closing a City Schools of Decatur K-2 school due to underutilized schools and declining enrollment.
On Dec. 9, the school board will hold a regular meeting and work session to discuss a new strategy to keep them all open, while making the district’s K-2 schools more efficient.
1/9 Decaturish.com
“CSD records contradict public message on Westchester closure”
Records show that City Schools of Decatur considered closing Westchester Elementary School even while it was telling the public that no decisions about school closures had been made.
Those records also show that while the school board said there was no connection between closing a school and the Early Childhood Learning Center, at least one board member said the school closure would be necessary to pay back the money borrowed for the project.
The records were obtained by a group called Save Decatur Schools and provided to Decaturish. School board members declined to comment about them.