Central Florida students back to school in smaller numbers

ORLANDO, Fla. — As the new school year approaches, thousands of students across Orange County are getting ready to kick off the academic year.

But for some, it also means learning their way around a new campus and meeting new teachers and friends because Orange County Public Schools closed down seven schools after the last academic year because of lower enrollment numbers.

The district saw a decline of nearly 7,000 in the 2025-26 academic year, resulting in the district’s decision to consolidate six elementary schools and one middle school.

Jose Cruz Velez was a second-grade student at McCoy Elementary last school year after he and his family moved to the United States from Colombia.

“I liked it a lot. My teachers were really nice. I probably, like, my first friends that I got were here in McCoy,” Cruz Velez said.

But everything changed after he found out his school was closing down.

“It made me feel sad, but I was at least happy because I mean, the school has been here for, like, 61 years,” he said.

Many of the students shared that feeling.

“Sad, because I miss my friends, and some of my favorite teachers are gone,” former McCoy Elementary student Christian Sanchez said.

McCoy Elementary was one of seven schools that Orange County Public Schools consolidated for the 2026-27 school year.

Parents like Angelica Rujano, the former Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) president at McCoy Elementary, said they did everything they could to prevent the closures.

“As the PTO and the McCoy community, we did everything in our power to prevent the school from closing; and although we didn’t achieve that goal, what I wanted to convey to both my children and the community is that winning isn’t always what matters,” Rujano said. “Victory also lies in being able to express ourselves freely, and that many of the things we proposed to the school board were actually taken into consideration.”

Seeing the campus empty now is difficult, Rujano said.

“It’s a mix of emotions because you think, ‘Well, I’m coming back to a school where I spent five years — a place where we truly gave it our all’. But it’s also a beautiful feeling; fond memories come flooding back, along with a sense of gratitude,” Rujano said.

Over the past several years, OCPS has experienced sustained enrollment decline, a trend they said is expected to continue. The decline has resulted in significantly reduced funding. OCPS attributes the lower enrollment numbers to a decline in birthrates, immigration policy, aging neighborhoods and taxpayer-funded vouchers for private schools.

The seven schools that closed include Union Park Middle School and Bonneville, Orlo Vista, Eccleston, Chickasaw, McCoy, and Meadow Woods elementary schools. Orange County District 6 school board member Stephanie Vanos said students were relocated to other schools because of the closures.

“The students went to a school really depending mostly on where they lived,” Vanos said. “So, they were sort of zoned into really the next-nearest elementary school for the most part. Also taking into account the bus routes and transportation.”

OCPS has worked hard to help the principals in the receiving schools with the transition, she said.

“Give them some resources so that they can, you know, best welcome students. I know they received a communications toolkit, so they had welcome letters, a contact list to give families invitations for school tours, and then also some follow-up information,” Vanos said.

In an email, the district said no decisions have been made about what will happen with the seven schools that were closed. However, district officials are considering various options for the use of the campuses, and they could include the relocation of existing district departments, alternative programs, and leasing of the facilities to nonprofit agencies.

“I am hoping that all families, and teachers, and our staff come back just refreshed and ready to learn and to grow this year,” Vanos said.

Cruz Velez and some of his friends will now attend Ventura Elementary.

He had a message to share with others also going through the change of schools.

“Don’t be worried. It will all be OK,” he said. “You could meet new friends and make new memories.”

Across Central Florida, other school districts have also experienced a drop in enrollment numbers.

Osceola County ended last year with 53,304 students, and its projected enrollment for 2026-27 is 52,554.

Marion County is expecting to see a total of 46,697 students for the upcoming school year.

Seminole County saw a decline of approximately 1,600 students, and for the upcoming 2026-27 school year, the district is projecting about 58,000 students.

Orange County had a decline of 6,627 students in the 2025-26 school year.

And Lake County had a total of 42,024 students enrolled last year; this year the district expects to see 41,838.