Families in Atlanta could be 24 hours away from finding out about major changes to their neighborhood schools.

The Atlanta school board is set to vote on a sweeping plan that would close or repurpose 16 public schools. Local activists are urging families to rally against the proposal, saying the closures would hurt Black, working-class neighborhoods already facing deep challenges.

Closures spark community backlash

The Party for Socialism and Liberation's Atlanta chapter called for a protest Tuesday evening outside the Center for Learning & Leadership on Trinity Avenue, where they plan to demand the district reverse course. In a Facebook post, organizers said public education is facing a "manufactured crisis" and warned that school closures would strip communities of essential resources.

Atlanta Public Schools has released its final APS Forward 2040 plan, a major restructuring proposal designed to address an anticipated $100 million budget gap. The plan involves consolidating campuses, realigning attendance zones, and closing or repurposing 16 schools over the next several years. District leaders say the changes are necessary to modernize operations and better match building capacity with enrollment.

APS estimates the restructuring could save up to $25 million annually and avoid as much as $65 million in deferred maintenance. The district says many schools are aging and under-enrolled, with several campuses built for more than 500 students now educating far fewer.

Among the recommended changes, Dunbar Elementary would close in 2027, Usher Collier and Scott Elementary would merge into a new school , and Carver Early College would become a 6th–12th grade arts and early college program. Washington High School would stay open and expand its STEAM and medical pathways.

But activists argue the closures are being pushed forward without meaningful community input. They say the affected school communities — predominantly Black, working-class neighborhoods — stand to lose the most.

New routines, and some new hurdles, for students

Shantikwa Kelley says her fourth-grader, Saimyha, loves everything about W.J. Scott Elementary. For her, this is home.

"My child she loves it," Kelley said. "She loves her teachers, they have good teachers."

The new elementary school at the A.D. Williams site would be about five miles away. For Kelley, that would mean an adjustment.

"I would have to find a ride, get on the bus or, you know, find a way," she said.

The change could impact more than just the school day. Kelley says her child is in a dance program and after-school program that would be affected.

APS has had three public hearings, on Sept. 8, Sept. 9, and Nov. 5, and has encouraged parents and residents to share feedback at those hearings or during public comment at regular board meetings.

APS also is inviting students, families, staff, and community members to the next Visioning Meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 2, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Herman J. Russell West End Academy, 765 Peeples St. SW.

A parent of a Dunbar Elementary student says she and other parents think the board will approve the proposal on Wednesday and they are planning a vigil at the school on Thursday morning.