Bibb County School District still undecided on school consolidation; considers rezoning instead

The school board is weighing all options to get each of its elementary schools to an enrollment of at least 450 students to be deemed "operationally efficient" by the state and avoid a loss of funding.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – After a series of town halls and passionate debate, the Bibb County School District is undecided not just on which schools to consolidate but whether or not to consolidate at all.

For the district, declining student enrollment means facing a budget shortfall in fiscal year 2026. The school board is weighing all options to get each of its elementary schools to an enrollment of at least 450 students to be deemed “operationally efficient” by the state and avoid a loss of funding.

“The numbers paint a picture of some challenges,” said Dr. Dan Sims, the Superintendent of the Bibb County School District. “But when have we not had challenges? So, at the end of the day, we’re going to figure it out.” 

Earlier this week, the school board delayed a vote on consolidation amid concerns brought forward to and by board members.  Board president Myrtice Johnson says merging low performing students with others in the same classrooms sets them and their teachers up for failure due to a lack of resources.

“How are we thinking about student achievement when we put all of those low-achieving students in one building?” Johnson said. 

Another solution the district laid out is rezoning. This could not only send students to different elementary schools for next year but potentially have them bound for different middle and high schools than originally planned in the future. If the district does decide against consolidation in favor of rezoning, Dr. Sims says he won’t view recent town halls as a waste as they’ve boosted parent and community engagement.

“That’s given us the opportunity to educate the community in some ways that perhaps they had not been informed,” Sims said.

The board will present a recommendation for consolidation or rezoning during its April 17 school board meeting and decide whether or not it’s ready to move forward with a vote. Knowing any final decision will not satisfy everyone, Dr. Sims says the school board’s goal is to combine the best resources of each school and maximize student success.