Sorry, Schools must consolidate

On Nov. 21, the Escambia County School Board is scheduled to vote on a plan that will close Woodham High School and Brownsville, Brown Barge and Wedgewood middle schools. Since Superintendent Jim Paul first took office in 2000, he has tried to consolidate the school system. He first had a Blue Ribbon Committee of area community and business leaders offer up a plan in 2001-02, but the school board rejected it.

This time Paul’s recommendations are based on a $17,000 study by Tallahassee-based North Florida Communication Network, which was hired to conduct an in-depth study of Escambia schools.

The reality is Escambia has too many schools. Enrollment  is flat with the student population about the same as it was in 1985. Over the same period, five new schools have been built.

If all of the changes are approved, the savings each year would total $9.6 million – which isn’t small change.