LONG BEACH, Calif. — The Long Beach Unified School District is considering closing Edison and Gompers elementary schools at the end of the school year, citing declining enrollment and the district’s financial challenges.
The district has already closed down other schools in previous years for similar reasons.
The announcement sparked concern among local parents who argue the district’s own decisions have led to lower enrollment at the schools and worry about the impact this could have on their children.
The district’s “School Capacities Working Group,” which looked at each school’s capacity to accommodate students, found Edison Elementary School is operating at around 44% of its program capacity.
It also found Gompers Elementary School is operating at around 38% of its program capacity.
Parents from both schools who oppose the move pushed back against the recommendation at a school board meeting in early October.