Atlanta school board votes to close or repurpose 16 schools under sweeping APS Forward 2040 plan
In a highly anticipated vote Wednesday night, the Atlanta Board of Education unanimously approved a sweeping facilities overhaul that will close, merge, or repurpose 16 public schools across the district, one of the largest school restructuring decisions in Atlanta in more than a decade.
The vote came after an almost 3-hour-long public hearing where dozens of parents, teachers, alumni, and community members pleaded with the board to delay or reconsider major portions of the plan.
Many expressed deep fears about school closures in historically Black neighborhoods, the impact on student displacement, and the future of long-standing community institutions.
But shortly after 9 p.m., board members unanimously cast their votes in favor of the APS Forward 2040 recommendations — a long-term facilities master plan aimed at reshaping the district's footprint amid declining enrollment, aging buildings, and shifting population patterns.
What the board approved tonight
According to the APS Forward 2040 proposal, the district will move forward with:
- Closing or repurposing 16 schools, including several elementary schools with significant enrollment declines
- Merging campuses and redrawing attendance zones
- Building or renovating schools in high-growth neighborhoods
- Repurposing under-enrolled campuses into early learning centers or community service hubs
- Shifting feeder patterns across multiple clusters
District leaders say the changes are necessary as APS faces uneven enrollment, with some schools operating at below 50% capacity, while others are overcrowded.
Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson has repeatedly stated that APS can no longer sustain a facilities footprint built for nearly 60,000 students, given that the district now serves closer to 44,000.
Tense public hearing before the vote
Tonight's meeting — streamed live on YouTube — featured some emotional testimony.
Some parents condemned what they felt was rushed planning and inadequate communication with students and parents, while others urged the district to stay the course and invest in stronger, better-resourced schools rather than maintain half-empty campuses.
A recurring concern: closures concentrated in Atlanta's historically Black neighborhoods in northwest and southwest Atlanta.
Why APS says this is necessary
The APS Forward 2040 framework — more than a year in development — argues that the district's aging infrastructure and uneven enrollment are draining resources.
The official plan notes:
- Some campuses require tens of millions in repairs just to remain operational
- Clusters like Midtown and Jackson are overcrowded
- Other clusters — particularly on the south and west sides — are shrinking
The 200-page proposal outlines a long-term effort to "right-size, modernize, and redistribute" APS facilities to match changing population trends.
What happens next
The district plans to begin implementing closures and mergers as early as Fall 2026, with some repurposing decisions taking effect sooner.
APS officials say they will work to:
- Reassign students to new schools
- Provide transportation adjustments
- Engage families at affected campuses
- Launch new academic programs in consolidated schools
- Begin construction or renovation on selected sites
Families at the impacted schools will receive additional communication in the coming weeks.
An unprecedented moment for APS
Tonight's vote marks a defining shift for one of Georgia's largest school systems, one that could reshape educational access, neighborhood identity, and community stability for years to come.
The decision comes as districts nationwide face similar enrollment declines, but Atlanta's restructuring — touching nearly every cluster — is among the most far-reaching.
This is a developing story. CBS News Atlanta will update as more details become available, including school-by-school impacts and next steps from the district.