Some Walton County fifth-graders might move to middle schools

Fifth-grade students at three Walton County elementary schools might be moved to middle school campuses next year.

The proposal comes as school administrators struggle to comply with class-size requirements while student enrollment increases in the south end of the county, Superintendent of Schools Carlene Anderson said.

“We’ve simply run out of classrooms,” she said.

Students at Bay, Butler and Freeport elementary schools would be affected if the School Board approves the proposal.

The plan calls for fifth-graders from Bay and Butler elementary schools to move into some unused classrooms at Emerald Coast Middle School, which will open in August. Freeport Elementary fifth-graders would be moved to an empty building on Freeport Middle School campus.

Under the class size reduction amendment approved by voters in 2002, no more than 18 students are allowed in classrooms from kindergarten through third grade. Fourth- through eighth-grade classes must have no more than 22 students.

Walton County schools have been growing for the last decade. On average, about 100 new students enroll each year in all schools. That number spiked to more than 300 students last October.

To deal with the growth, the district has built new schools and enlarged others.

“We’re reacting to a situation we have now and also being proactive to the growth pattern we’ve seen,” Anderson said.

Anderson said she will meet with parents of affected students next week to discuss the proposal.

The School Board will vote on the issue April 5. The meeting will begin at 5 p.m. in the board room of the Tivoli Administrative Complex at 145 Park Street, Suite 3 in DeFuniak Springs.