Lynchburg Schools Advance Closures, Delay Superintendent Hire
- Lynchburg Herald
- Apr 13
- 4 min read
As T.C. Miller’s closure is finalized, leaders face public pushback, tight budgets, and a prolonged search for a new superintendent
Lynchburg City Schools (LCS) and city leaders are moving forward with a major facilities realignment, beginning with the closure of T.C. Miller Elementary School for Innovation at the end of the 2024–25 school year. The decision marks the start of a broader four-phase plan to consolidate school facilities, reduce costs, and address the city’s aging infrastructure amid declining enrollment. At the same time, the school division has requested a 180-day extension from the state after falling behind its timeline to appoint a new permanent superintendent.
T.C. Miller Closure Finalized Despite Community Pushback
In a 6–3 vote on April 9, the Lynchburg City School Board approved Phase I of Interim Superintendent Dr. Ben Copeland’s long-term facilities plan. The plan will repurpose T.C. Miller into a centralized early childhood education center starting in the 2025–26 school year. Pre-K programs currently housed at Paul Munro, Perrymont, and R.S. Payne will be consolidated into the T.C. Miller building. The division’s early childhood special education and elementary alternative education programs will also relocate there .
Although Copeland emphasized the change would save $1 million annually and would not reduce teaching staff, the plan drew strong public opposition. Families, teachers, and students expressed frustration with the speed of the decision and the loss of T.C. Miller’s unique performing arts and STREAM curriculum. PTO leaders argued the school had strong enrollment demand and served students whose needs were not met at other schools .
Board members who voted against the plan — Mark Tinsley, Gloria Preston, and Anthony Andrews — cited concerns about process and perception, not the plan’s content. “We just asked for a public hearing, and we have given the public 10 to 15 minutes of consideration,” Tinsley said. “That’s what we call ‘pro forma’ — we came in here with our minds made up.”
Larger Facilities Plan Underway
T.C. Miller’s closure is the first phase of a four-step plan presented by Copeland in March. Subsequent phases, which were not yet approved, include:
Phase II (2025–2028): Renovate selected schools and identify a second elementary school for closure.
Phase III (2028–2029): Close the selected school and convert it into a consolidated secondary alternative education center.
Phase IV (2029–2030): Repurpose Fort Hill Community School as an elementary alternative education facility .
The joint School Board–City Council committee previously endorsed the strategy in a 4–1 vote, recommending against constructing any new schools for at least five years. Ward I Councilwoman Jacqueline Timmer supported the plan, saying it was “an excellent plan that can be recommended as a way to start moving forward.”
Budget Pressure and Building Needs
Lynchburg City Schools requested a $5.5 million increase in local funding for FY2026 but received only a proposed $2.7 million increase in the city’s draft budget, leaving a $2.8 million gap . Meanwhile, nearly $63 million in critical repairs are needed across school facilities, prompting city and school leaders to prioritize $10 million for the most urgent issues like HVAC, plumbing, and roofing systems .
The school division also faced a potential $1 million loss due to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s proposed state budget cuts to school support staff. The General Assembly ultimately rejected the most controversial amendments, restoring some of the threatened funding.
Community Concerns on Process and Transparency
Save Our Schools Lynchburg, a grassroots education advocacy group, criticized the timeline of the T.C. Miller decision and called for greater transparency in the school division’s budgeting and planning. “Do it in the light of day,” said SOS representative Colleen Larkins during a public hearing. “When parents understand what you’re doing, it’s so much easier to get behind you.”
Demographic Challenges
Unlike Roanoke, which is building new schools to accommodate growth, Lynchburg has lost nearly 800 students since 2008, leading city and school leaders to focus on consolidation rather than expansion. According to Cardinal News, LCS is now maintaining more buildings than necessary for its student population, driving inefficiencies and straining resources.
Superintendent Search Extended
While structural changes are advancing, the search for a permanent superintendent remains incomplete. At the April 9 school board work session, search committee co-chair Mark Tinsley confirmed that LCS had filed for a 180-day extension from the Virginia Department of Education. The initial deadline to name a superintendent was April 16, but the committee will miss that target .
“We won’t take that long,” Tinsley told The News & Advance, “but if we had to, we could.” He said the delay reflects the complexity of the search process, not any failure to act. The division originally received 27 applications and has narrowed the list to six finalists. A final selection is now expected by mid-May, with a July 1 start date targeted for the new hire.
What’s Next?
As the school system adjusts to its evolving landscape — marked by closures, budget gaps, and leadership uncertainty — stakeholders are left to grapple with what comes next. While Phase I of the realignment plan is set in motion, future phases and further school closures will likely be shaped by the next superintendent and the community’s continued feedback.
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