SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Amid the South Bay Union School District's plan to consolidate campuses, the district's Board of Trustees is set to take another vote that could close down two more schools Wednesday night.
Nearly 400 students at Central Elementary School will most likely have to relocate to another campus next school year, while two more schools — Berry and Sunnyslope — could be next on the chopping block as the district grapples with declining enrollment and rising costs.
The district is now responding to growing questions about closures, like why Berry and Sunnyslope are being reconsidered after trustees voted in May to keep them open after families voiced concerns about where that would leave students.
Wednesday night, they will review a new resolution that includes updates on enrollment and operation costs, as the future of three South Bay elementary schools are in limbo.
The district says it's lost close to 2,500 students over the past decade, and even with Central's closure, some campuses could be only half full in the next five years. The district says that drop, on top of upgrades needed for the campuses' HVAC systems and other facility upgrades, is forcing them to re-evaluate.
Still, Vanessa Barrera, president of the Southwest Teachers Association, says the process leaves families feeling shut out.
"We as a community need to hold the school district, the school board accountable. They need to do what is best for our students and for our community — and bring the community to the table on the decisions that they are making," Barrera said.
And while the district says Berry and Sunnyslope are part of a phased consolidation plan with no additional closures until at least the 2028-29 school year, teachers say the message contradicts what they heard earlier this year.
"The community came out to voice their concerns and voice why the school needed to stay open and how vital the school is to our community — and basically, it's a slap in the face to the community," said Veronica Duarte, a teacher at Berry Elementary.
Families from Central, Berry and Sunnyslope are expected to speak during public comment tonight when the meeting begins at 5 p.m.
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