Greenville County School to Close at Year’s End
Greenville, S.C. – A local school in Greenville County, Greenville Early College, will be closing its doors at the end of this school year due to declining enrollment. The decision comes after a noticeable drop in student numbers over the past few years. Currently, only 107 students are enrolled at the school which opened in 2015 as a special program aimed at helping first-generation college students succeed.
Concerns have been raised by parents about this closure. One parent, Shenetta Brewster, expressed frustration regarding the lack of communication from the school district. “Why are we losing this school?” she questioned, adding, “Why, why, why are we never granted a seat at the table?”
The school district stated that they can no longer sustain the school due to the low enrollment numbers. However, they assured parents that the programs offered at Greenville Early College will continue, relocating to three high schools in the area: Berea High, Southside High, and Carolina High.
Tim Waller, a spokesperson for the school district, said that the same programs will be available at the new locations, along with additional opportunities such as more related arts, athletics, and after-school clubs. Furthermore, the classes will maintain their small sizes, and essential support services, including a dedicated counselor and summer programs at Furman University, will still be provided.
Many parents, like Brewster, worry that their children will be overlooked in the larger public school environment. She highlighted the personalized attention her daughter received at Greenville Early College, stating, “We don’t have to worry about them being bullied or not understanding something.” Brewster wishes there had been more opportunities to discuss and improve the current situation before it reached this point.
The decision to close Greenville Early College has been a topic of discussion among the school district for several years, as they navigate the challenges of maintaining quality education while responding to declining enrollment.
