Long Beach school officials are considering a plan to close...

Long Beach school officials are considering a plan to close East Elementary School. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp

Two Long Island school districts are considering closing elementary schools, as officials said they continue to grapple with dwindling enrollment, rising costs and uncertain state aid.

Officials in West Babylon are proposing to relocate students from Forest Avenue Elementary School to another of the district’s four remaining elementary schools. In Long Beach, administrators are contemplating closing East Elementary School and consolidating into three schools. Both districts said the buildings would be repurposed and potentially rented out to generate revenue.

"This is probably the hardest decision for school boards and districts to make," Long Beach Superintendent Jennifer Gallagher said on Wednesday. "No one enjoys these kinds of decisions, but we have to weigh doing what’s best for every child in the district."

Long Beach officials estimate closing East Elementary could save them about $3 million in operating costs.

Gallagher said the district's elementary school student population has declined by about 750 in the past 20 years. The district currently has about 1,300 elementary school students, with 267 enrolled in East Elementary.

She noted a potential loss in state aid, proposed by Gov. Kathy Hochul last year, triggered conversations about closing East Elementary. Though the district did not wind up losing aid, administrators remain concerned about future funding.

"We’re trying to do what we know is fiscally responsible and prepare for potential cuts in revenue, but we also have to think about what we’re going to need in the future," Gallagher said.

East Elementary, officials said, is the smallest building in square footage and enrollment. The district established an advisory committee to help gather information regarding this decision.

The nonprofit Empire Center for Public Policy analyzed state data and found enrollment in New York public schools in the 2022-23 school year dropped to its lowest level since the early 1950s. They attributed the change to declining fertility rates, people leaving the state and parents choosing alternative schooling.

West Babylon district officials held a presentation Tuesday night to discuss the proposed changes. The district established a Long Range Planning Committee in June to discuss ways of increasing revenue, consolidation of elementary schools and to research alternatives to house their universal prekindergarten students.

The committee was created around the same time the district's initial $136.9 million budget proposal for the 2024-25 school year, which would have raised taxes 4.99%, failed. Instead, voters approved a $136.3 million budget that eliminated a ninth grade student health program, some tutoring programs for elementary students and reduced employees.

Forest Avenue School in West Babylon

Forest Avenue School in West Babylon Credit: Newsday/James Carbone

In the past 15 years, West Babylon's elementary school student population has declined by 761, according to Tim Ammon, a consultant working with the district.

According to a video of the meeting, Ammon said "this is a significant number of students, representing an opportunity for us to think about whether or not this four-school model is feasible."

Overall elementary school enrollment is more than 1,500. Forest Avenue currently has the lowest enrollment, with 280 students, and is one of the smaller buildings in the district, according to the presentation. 

District officials said renting out the Forest Avenue building could potentially bring in $880,000 of revenue.

Officials with both districts said decisions could be made at their next school board meetings, which are scheduled for Jan. 28 for West Babylon and Feb. 11 for Long Beach. If approved, the changes could be in place for the next school year.

"We understand that this is not an easy process, and we acknowledge and appreciate the feedback shared by our community," West Babylon Superintendent Yiendhy Farrelly said in a statement. "The board will continue to review all presented data before ultimately making a final decision, which will consider the best interests of our students, as well as for the future of our district."

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