School choice, scholarships and legislative response
Chambers and several board members pointed to Florida’s expanded school-choice scholarship programs as a significant factor contributing to enrollment losses.
In Okaloosa County, about 5,000 families currently use education scholarships, Chambers said. Of those, approximately 3,500 students never attended district schools.
“That’s about $45 million coming in and then flowing right back out,” Chambers said.
The issue has drawn statewide attention following a recent operational audit of 2024–25 school funding that found weaknesses in tracking scholarship students and payments.
In response, State Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Crestview, filed Senate Bill 318, which would overhaul Florida’s school-choice scholarship system by separating scholarship funding from the public-school formula, improving enrollment verification, shifting payments to a monthly schedule and expanding audit requirements.
School Board Member Parker Destin cautioned that the district cannot base immediate decisions on legislation that has not yet taken effect.
“We have to deal with the system as it exists today,” Destin said. “If you don’t have children at the desks, that money shrinks.”
Chambers also addressed public frustration over continued construction projects and athletic field upgrades while schools face closure.
“There are different pots of money,” he said. “You cannot spend capital dollars on anything other than what state statute allows.”
Capital funding, including revenue from the voter-approved half-cent sales tax, can only be used for construction, renovations, buses, technology and debt service, not teacher salaries or operating expenses.
General fund dollars cover staff pay, benefits, instructional materials, utilities and daily operations.
“We cannot use capital dollars for teacher raises,” Chambers said. “We have audits that dictate exactly how those dollars are spent.”
Board members cite legal and fiscal responsibility
Several board members said the decision, while painful, is constrained by law.
“We are required to have a balanced budget,” said board member Lamar White. “You cannot operate a school with empty seats because you don’t have the revenue.”
Board member Tim Bryant said the proposal was among the most difficult decisions the board faces.
“If we don’t address it now, it only gets worse,” Bryant said.
Board member Brett Hinely said the pace of the enrollment decline was striking.
“I did not expect it to happen this fast,” Hinely said. “But the numbers are the numbers.”
School Board Chair Linda Evanchyk pushed back against suggestions that students were being reduced to statistics.
“Never in 38 years did I ever consider one of my students a data point,” Evanchyk said. “This is personal for us too.”
Community concerns and staff assurances
During public comment, parents, teachers and
city leaders urged the board to slow the process and consider the broader impact on students and neighborhoods.
Mary Esther Mayor Chris Stein, who attended Mary Esther Elementary as a child, called the school central to the city’s identity.
“Mary Esther school was one center point,” Stein said. “The other is the library.”
City Manager Jared Cobb said the city’s community vision plan identified the school as a cornerstone of local character.
“A decision of this magnitude deserves a process that matches its weight,” Cobb said.
District teacher Kenley Wise urged the board to consider the stability schools provide for young students.
“These kids need stability,” Wise said. “They need adults who know them.”
Mary Esther parent Nicole Potter echoed that concern.
“My son is not a data point,” Potter said. “He is a child who is known, supported and loved at that school.”
District officials also sought to reassure employees. Dusha Ross, the district’s external reporting director, said staff in good standing would have positions for the 2026–27 school year.
“Our employees are our greatest resource,” Ross said. “Those employees who are in good standing will have positions.”
What happens next
No final decision has been made on the closure of Mary Esther or Longwood elementary schools. The board’s unanimous vote Monday authorized a public hearing on Feb. 23, when a final vote could occur.
District officials said students would be rezoned to nearby schools with available capacity and that transportation plans are still being evaluated.
The district has not yet determined how the Mary Esther or Longwood buildings would be used if the schools close.
Chambers closed the meeting by acknowledging the emotion surrounding the proposal.
“I understand the anger. I understand the sadness,” he said. “This is not something any of us want to do.”
