Tallahassee, FL: The Orange County School Board gave final approval late Tuesday to close seven schools. The schools are Union Park Middle School and Bonneville, Chickasaw, Eccleston, Meadow Woods, McCoy and Orlo Vista elementary schools. They will close their doors at the end of the 2025-26 school year. Rep. Eskamani attended Bonneville Elementary School as a child.
Below is Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani’s statement in response:
“The decision to close seven schools in Orange County is heartbreaking for so many families, educators, and neighborhoods, including for me personally. Bonneville Elementary School, where I attended as a child, is one of the schools that will close its doors at the end of the 2025–26 school year.
Schools are more than buildings. They are community anchors, places where friendships are formed, teachers shape futures, and families gather for events, celebrations, and support. Bonneville was one of those places for me growing up, and it holds deep meaning for many families in East Orlando.
I know this decision was not made lightly by Orange County Public Schools. Declining enrollment and the financial realities tied to per-student funding have put districts across Florida in an incredibly difficult position. But we also have to be honest about what is driving these enrollment losses. State policies that rapidly expanded vouchers for private and home schooling are pulling students — and funding — away from our public schools at an unprecedented pace.
Public schools should not be forced to compete for survival in this way. When funding follows students out of the public system without adequate protections for neighborhood schools, the consequences ripple through communities.
For the students, teachers, and staff impacted by these closures, we must ensure the transition is thoughtful, transparent, and centered on the well-being of every child and hard-working educator. And for our broader community, we must continue fighting for strong investments in public education so that our neighborhood schools remain places where every child has the opportunity to thrive.
Bonneville helped shape who I am today. I will always be grateful for the educators and community that poured into me there, and I stand with the families who are navigating this difficult change.
I am hopeful that these buildings can maintain public purposes, and will be working with the school district on that goal.”