District moves forward on plans for Paso Robles schools

August 24, 2023

By KAREN VELIE

Paso Robles Unified School District officials voted unanimously on Tuesday to move forward with a capacity study as they work to determine the future of the Georgia Brown Elementary campus and a location for its dual immersion program.

In 2021, a committee recommended the closure of the Georgia Brown Elementary based on lower student enrollment district wide and the cost of keeping the dilapidated campus open. The suggestion led to a misinformation campaign that inaccurately claimed the board planned to eliminate the dual immersion program even though district officials said that shuttering the Spanish-English program was not on the table.

Following years of contentious debate, the district board voted 4-3 earlier this year to renovate the Georgia Brown Elementary School on 36th Street. But then the state found a geological anomaly running under the campus and those plans are now on hold while the district looks at other options.

On Tuesday, the board voted to direct staff to move forward with a capacity and boundary study to look into classroom availability and student population in the elementary and middle schools. In addition, the board directed staff to look into forming a new advisory committee.

If the Georgia Brown campus is closed, the duel immersion magnet school would be located at another campus, with many of the same students and instructors.