Fourteen schools remain on DeKalb’s possible closure list

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Fourteen DeKalb County schools remain on a list for possible closure aimed at making a dent in a $115 million budget deficit.

While paring the targeted schools by seven on Tuesday night, task force members charged with identifying the final list for shutdown said money wouldn’t be the only criteria.

Logistics also figure in on possible closures, said Thad Mayfield, chairman of the Citizens Planning Task Force.

“We will make a decision on sound judgment,” Mayfield said. “We won’t send children from one end of the county to the other.”

On Tuesday night, the task force removed seven schools from the closure list: Ashford Park, Briarlake, Bob Mathis, Kittredge Magnet, Midvale, Rock Chapel and Wadsworth Magnet.

The magnet schools were preserved because of the uniqueness of their programs. The other schools were removed from consideration because there are no nearby schools with room to house the students.

Enrollment, capacity and room at area schools are driving the decisions for possible closure. Task force members now are reviewing data with the goal of recommending elementary schools to close at the end of the year.

The task force will finalize its list by April 13.

Continue to the complete article at AJC.com