Okaloosa County schools face potential closures amid enrollment decline and budget cuts
Okaloosa County, Florida — Two elementary schools in Okaloosa County may shut their doors at the end of this academic year.
Next month, Superintendent Marcus Chambers will ask the school board to consider closing Mary Esther Elementary and Longwood Elementary.
The struggles facing Okaloosa’s schools are not isolated; they reflect a broader trend seen across the state and nation. A combination of shrinking birth rates, economic pressures, and an increasing variety of school-choice options are translating into fewer students and tighter operating budgets.
“I think we have to be responsible with the dollars that we have and make decisions accordingly before going to taxpayers; that's just my opinion,” Chambers said.
While some have proposed raising the millage rate, the superintendent argues that the district should first cut expenses wherever possible. “If we have seats that are open at multiple schools, then we have to be able to handle our business first,” he added.
Chambers notes the district has long displayed a two-county dynamic: the southern portion experiencing enrollment declines, and the northern portion seeing growth. Ten-year projections suggest this pattern will persist. While presenting a chart to the school board, he explained, “In the north end, elementary enrollment is up by about 800 students. South of the Shoal River, the trend shows a decline over the next decade.”
Scholarships — commonly called vouchers — are also influencing enrollment by giving families more ways to leave traditional public schools. This year, more than 4,900 students qualified or applied for these programs, effectively removing about $43 million in potential funding.
School board member Parker Destin weighed in, acknowledging the political risk of certain decisions but stressing the need to be prepared: “I know some of these decisions we may face are deeply politically unpopular, but we’ve got to be ready.”
This year’s enrollment numbers show Longwood at 470 students and Mary Esther at 385. If closures proceed, students would be rezoned to other south-end campuses for the next school year.
“It’s the reality,” Chambers said. “If we don’t adjust, that reality becomes even more negative.”
The superintendent plans to present the closure proposal to the school board on January 12 and will request a public hearing in February.
The district provided this statement to accompany the proposal and outline already-implemented cost-cutting measures:
Superintendent Marcus Chambers intends to present a January recommendation to the Okaloosa County School Board to consider closing Mary Esther Elementary and Longwood Elementary at the end of the 2025–2026 school year and to rezone those students to other south-end elementary schools. A public hearing is being requested for February.
Like many Florida districts, we face both budget and declining enrollment challenges. To manage these issues responsibly and proactively, we have, over the past two school years, conducted a thorough review of ongoing budget constraints and how school capacity, affected by south-end enrollment declines, impacts operating costs.
These decisions are never easy and can be unpopular, he added. We must weigh the impact on students, families, and staff while fulfilling our duty to the community to maintain both educational quality and fiscal health. The recommendation seeks to balance these considerations and ensure students continue to receive the high-quality education families expect. Additionally, I’ve included the cost-cutting steps we had already put in place before considering closures.
Revenue for the district is tied to student enrollment; when enrollment drops, so does revenue. To balance the budget, expenditures must be reduced. To address rising medical insurance costs, the district shifted from a fully insured plan to a partially self-insured model as of January 1, 2022, which has lowered annual medical insurance costs by about $2.5 million while maintaining the same coverage for employees. Given enrollment declines over the past two years, the district has also reviewed and reduced district-level positions, instructional allocations, instructional coaches, educational-support roles, and operating expenditures. The district-wide reductions in department-level positions alone, combined with the superintendent’s proposed restructuring for fiscal year 2026–2027, are projected to save roughly $1.0 million per year.
