Many low-income schools on DeKalb’s list of possible closures

When Courtney Ruben saw the list of DeKalb County public schools that could close in the coming years, she noticed a trend: Most of schools on the list serve high numbers of low-income students.

“That’s very concerning,” said the Decatur mom of two. “When you see it on paper, you’re seeing that who’s being affected are often the marginalized communities — the ones who are needing that close-proximity support.”

The state’s third-largest school system is in the middle of a yearslong redistricting effort. This month the district released a list of 27 schools that could be closed, 11 that could get capacity expansions and eight that could be transitioned to serve different grade levels.

The district only evaluated the location, use and suitability of the facilities, not issues like attendance zones and program offerings, said district spokesperson Jennifer Caracciolo. Use and suitability of the buildings include factors like enrollment, attendance, capacity, facility condition and building adequacy.

The district did not look at students’ economic situations, academic achievement or spending at each school. But those are the things parents are thinking about as they look at the list.

Where Ruben saw a disparity in income levels between school populations, other parents saw high-performing schools slated for closure. Others wondered about previous investment in the buildings that could close.

The initial plan is almost guaranteed to change, DeKalb officials said. They’ll be getting feedback through the spring, and the school board won’t vote on anything until the end of the year.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reviewed state data to see what, if anything, connected the schools that could close. Here’s what we found.

Closures could affect schools with high number of low-income students

Most of the schools on the list for closure serve a majority of low-income students, according to state data.

Overall, about 60% of DeKalb County’s students are economically disadvantaged. That means their household incomes qualify them for free and reduced price meals or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

Of the 27 schools slated for closure, 20 of them serve more low-income students than the district average. At 11 of them, more than 80% of the students are economically disadvantaged — among the highest in the district.

Ruben’s children go to McNair Discovery Learning Academy, an elementary school on the list for possible closure. They receive special education and gifted education services. The school has a hydroponics lab and a health care clinic for families.

She hears the district talk about creating larger elementary schools in order to provide more resources to students, but feels like her school already offers many of those resources.

“I worry that this change will affect those families that need it the most, truly,” she said. “Those who don’t have access to be able to get their child to and from school, or to be as involved as they’d like. I’m very nervous about it.”

Some high-performing schools could close

Further north, parents were scratching their heads about something else: Some high-performing schools were slated for closure.

Ashford Park, Oak Grove and Vanderlyn elementary schools have some of the highest third-grade reading levels in the district, but are all listed for possible closure. Third-grade reading proficiency is a predictor of future academic success, and the district and state have invested considerable resources in recent years in improving literacy rates.

“I think the best way I can compare it is, if you have a winning coaching staff … why do you throw them out and put them into a different school, different program?” said Matthew Totten, a father of three who attend Vanderlyn Elementary in Dunwoody.

The school is slated for closure, but 89% of its third graders are reading at or above grade level. “Academic performance is an afterthought,” Totten said.

Of the 11 schools that could be expanded, nine have higher third-grade reading levels than the district average.

Per-pupil cost higher at schools slated for closure, expansion

Most of the schools facing possible closure spent more per student in 2024 than the district’s average of $16,767. But the same is true for most of the schools facing expansion.

There’s a lot that could affect per-pupil expenditures. It tends to cost more to educate students with special needs who may need additional services, for example. But the per-pupil cost also goes up when there are fewer students in a building.

“States fund schools based on how many kids walk through the door, and the rest is on you,” said Tracy Richter, the vice president of planning services at construction management group HPM, which is helping DeKalb redistrict. At a meeting with the Student Assignment Project committee this month, he said there’s no such thing as “cost savings” for the district, but it can make decisions now to avoid future costs.

“If we’re going to invest in facility improvements, we want to maximize the dollars where they make the most impact,” he said. “We want to make sure that we’re investing in teachers, not space.”

Ashford Park Elementary is one of the schools slated for closure and is at 171% capacity, with 822 students. It also spent less than the district’s per pupil average in 2024. But the district has invested dollars into the school in other ways.