TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Amid state budget cuts and school choice, talk of consolidating Leon County Schools has made its way into the public.<\/p>\n
School Board Member Alva Smith said data from the Department of Education (DOE) shows multiple schools in Leon County are being utilized at less than 70% capacity. Smith said that\u2019s the mark where inefficiency creeps in.<\/p>\n
However, School Board Chair Dr. Marcus Nicolas said talk of consolidating schools is premature until Superintendent Rocky Hanna presents his plan for cost-saving measures to the board. Nicolas said he would block an agenda item on consolidation until the plan is revealed, though Smith vowed to bring it up anyway during \u201cmember time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both acknowledged a natural tension between the school board, which oversees legislative responsibilities, and the superintendent, who operates as a chief executive. Both Nicolas and Smith said they respect each other while disagreeing on this issue.<\/p>\n
Data provided by Smith showed that, for example, W.T. Moore Elementary School is operating at just 64% total capacity. However, Nicolas pointed out that at some schools, class sizes have been intentionally kept low, leaving open the option to increase capacity.<\/p>\n
More Tallahassee news:<\/p>\n
Smith said school choice or \u201cvouchers\u201d makes it difficult for the district to plan how many students will attend each school, as the numbers consistently fluctuate. She added that LCS does not have enough data on school choice to tweak its formula, but she believes the capacity data and birth rate data show school consolidation would boost teacher salaries while saving money on empty or underused spaces.<\/p>\n
Nicolas said the superintendent\u2019s plan could include \u201cco-location\u201d of schools, but he called talk of closing schools premature. WCTV also reached out to the superintendent, though a spokesperson referred us to Nicolas, the chair of the board.<\/p>\n
School Board Member Rosanne Wood responded to WCTV\u2019s request for comment on the consolidation conversation in an email on Tuesday afternoon. <\/p>\n
\u201cNeighborhood schools are essential hubs for each community they serve. Consolidating schools means that suddenly, school communities are broken apart, causing children to be bused out of their neighborhoods. Most underenrolled schools are Title I schools, where parent involvement is crucial. As a school board representative, I believe that consolidation should be a last resort. Figuring out how to better utilize the school\u2019s space to benefit the children is the right approach. I\u2019m thrilled that we are looking for innovations, like bringing Head Start and other preschool programs into our taxpayer-funded schools. Research shows that early intervention will benefit our children throughout their school experience,\u201d Wood said. <\/p>\n
WCTV also reached out to all of the other school board members, including the student member, but has not yet heard back. The school board will next meet<\/a> on Jan. 12 but will then hold a yearly retreat on Jan. 26 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m..<\/p>\n Tune into Eyewitness News at 5 and 6 p.m. to watch the full story. This article will be updated later in the evening with more details. <\/p>\n To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, Nextdoor<\/a> <\/a>and X<\/a> (Twitter<\/a>).<\/p>\n Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here<\/a>. Please include the article\u2019s headline in your message.<\/p>\n Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n