South Carolina district decides not to consolidate middle and high schools

Chester County (S.C.) school officials have scrapped a plan to merge Great Falls middle and high schools with those in Lewisville. The vote came after the third and final community forum about school consolidation in Chester County. High school consolidation has been discussed in Chester County for years, but the conversation recently became more pressing after drastic cuts in state funding. Officials projected that closing the middle and high schools in Great Falls would have saved between $1.7 million and $1.8 million. About 40 staff positions would have been eliminated. To read The Rock Hill Herald article, click here. FROM JANUARY 2009: Fearful of losing their middle and high schools, residents in Great Falls, S.C., are upset with Chester County school officials, who are looking at closing both schools. Hundreds of people packed into the district office to hear school board members talk about consolidating some schools, including rivals Lewisville and Great Falls. High school consolidation has been discussed for years, but the conversation recently became more pressing after state cuts. Chester County schools have lost more than $2 million in funding. Officials project that closing the middle and high schools in Great Falls would save between $1.7 million and $1.8 million. To read The Rock Hill Herald article, click here.