The district’s school consolidation plans are moving forward with an adjusted timeline. After reviewing community feedback and discussion items, the School Board approved two consolidation proposals with later implementation dates. Long Branch Elementary is now scheduled to merge with R.L. Brown Academy in the 2027–28 school year, and Anchor Elementary is planned to merge with Mayport Elementary in 2028–29. These dates extend beyond the previously proposed 2026–27 timeline.
The School Board’s decision to extend the consolidation timeline came after reviewing community feedback and considering opportunities for additional funding, allowing more time to explore public–private partnerships and federal resources that might support enrollment and ease budget pressures. “Nationwide, school districts are grappling with decisions to close traditional public schools as they face declining enrollment and budget challenges,” Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier said during a discussion later reported by Duval County Public Schools, adding, “While I believe we have to be student-centered and financially responsible, we are also deeply empathetic to the concerns of the community, who have personal and generational ties to the schools.”
While Long Branch and Anchor elementaries have a delayed consolidation timeline, the School Board has approved four other mergers for the upcoming school year: Don Brewer Elementary will merge with Merrill Road Elementary, George Washington Carver Elementary will be absorbed by Rufus E. Payne Elementary, Hyde Grove Elementary will combine with Hyde Park Elementary, and Hidden Oaks Elementary will join Cedar Hills Elementary.
High school boundaries are also set to change in the 2027–28 school year, with John E. Ford transitioning into a dedicated magnet school starting in 2026–27, a move approved by the School Board. These adjustments reflect ongoing efforts to reorganize schools and programs across the district, impacting student assignments, staff placements, and overall district planning.
