DeKalb County sidelines school consolidation plan for now, says ‘we learned that the process felt too top down’

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The DeKalb County School District on Tuesday revealed that it is sidelining for now plans that have long been in development to close or repurpose more than 20 schools, instead emphasizing new schools and expansions before addressing the possibility of shuttering schools.

The long-running redistricting process, Interim Superintendent Dr. Norman C. Sauce III said in an update, was something district leaders realized had been “too top down.”

“We learned that the process felt too top down,” Sauce said. “We learned that the student experience was not enough of the forefront of the conversation.”

The school district FAQ does not, however, take closings off the table at this time. Under a header of, “Are schools going to close?” the answer states:

No decisions about school closures have been made. But closure is a possibility for some schools in the future.

This process is focused on ensuring every student has access to strong academic programs, resources, and opportunities, regardless of which school they attend. 

In some parts of the district, schools are significantly underenrolled, while others are overcrowded. These conditions can impact the quality of student experience in different ways. 

Any future recommendations, of any kind, will only come after meaningful community engagement and will be shaped by what we hear from families, staff, and stakeholders. 

A notice on the district site said Tuesday: “While Round 1 and Round 2 scenarios focused on potential school closings, consolidations, or repurposing, especially in areas where enrollment has declined, at this time, no decisions have been made… No recommendations will be presented to the Board of Education until our communities have had a meaningful opportunity to help shape them. Additional details, including how and when to participate, will be shared before the start of the school year.

According to a new timeline released by the district — which scraps entirely a December 2026 benchmark where they would have finalized proposed closures and repurposings of many schools — they’ll now look at reviewing community feedback, analyzing enrollment and capacity data and work on a new engagement plan this summer ahead of the next school year.

That’s described as “internal analysis of Round 1 and 2 participation” and “identifying which school communities need deeper engagement.”

By August, they plan to begin community conversations on attendance boundary changes with clusters including Lakeside, Cross Keys, Chamblee, Tucker, Dunwoody and Druid Hills. By the spring of 2027, they plan to begin conversations around addressing under-enrollment at clusters including Towers, Columbia, McNair, Cedar Grove, Miller Grove and MLK.

Regarding boundary shifts, the district FAQ also notes:

At this stage, no attendance boundary changes or school transition decisions have been finalized. 

What has been determined: 

• New and expanded schools will open beginning in Fall 2027 through 2029 
• A new cluster will be introduced (Sequoyah High School)
• Boundary reviews will be required to support those changes 

What has not been decided: 

• Specific boundary lines 
• Student reassignment plans 
• Program changes 
• Schools to be closed, consolidated, or repurposed  

Those decisions will be shaped through upcoming community conversations.

The FAQ also features a new question of, “Why should I trust this process after Rounds 1 and 2?” when many parents expressed frustration about the closure plans and how they were developed.

“What you’re seeing now is not a continuation of the same approach. It is a direct response to what communities told us needed to be different,” the answer states. “This isn’t about asking for trust. It’s about earning it through a different process, one that is visible, accountable, and shaped by you.”