Polk County school officials are scheduled to meet with parents Thursday about plans to fend off the closures of five middle schools.
School officials said they want to reassure parents they are doing everything possible to turn around the schools' performances.
Today's meeting times and locations:
- Boone Middle, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., 225 S. 22nd Street, Haines City
- Denison Middle, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., 400 Ave. A SE, Winter Haven
- Kathleen Middle, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., 3627 Kathleen Pines Ave., Lakeland
- Lake Alfred-Addair Middle, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., 925 N. Buena Vista Drive, Lake Alfred
- Westwood Middle, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., 3520 Ave. J NW, Winter Haven
- Bay News 9 education resources
The Florida Board of Education is threatening to shut down the middle schools over failing grades.
Earlier this week, the district presented plans to the state for keeping the troubled schools open. The struggling schools are Kathleen, Denison, Westwood, Shelley S. Boone and Lake Alfred-Addair.
The schools have had D or F grades issued from the state for the past three years.
More than 13,000 students are assigned to those schools and during the summer, the school district accepted an unspecified number of parent requests to move their children to different schools.
District officials said at least $1 million in funding and resources is being infused into the schools to address poor attendance, school atmosphere, underperforming teachers and, in some cases, replacing school leaders.
"We have reallocated funding to make sure we are supporting our teachers," Regional Assistant Superintendent Tony Bellamy said. "As I said before, the additional time that we have created for them to have planning and support them. So there is a big investment we have committed to."
Polk school officials won't know for another month whether the state accepts the turnaround plan for the schools.
Until then, school officials say the turnaround plans at the five schools will continue.