RALEIGH COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The Raleigh County Board of Education voted Tuesday evening, November 10, to close two elementary schools at the conclusion of the 2026-2027 school year.
Board members approved the closures of Cranberry-Prosperity Elementary School and Mabscott Elementary School in separate 4-1 votes.
Board President Rick Snuffer and members Larry Ford, Dr. Charlotte Hutchens and Ron Cantley voted in favor of closing both schools. Board member Marsha Smith cast the lone opposing vote on each closure.
Under the approved plan, Cranberry-Prosperity Elementary School will close at the end of the 2026-2027 school year, with students being reassigned to Bradley Elementary School, Maxwell Hill Elementary School and Stanaford Elementary School.
Mabscott Elementary School will also close at the conclusion of the same school year, with students being transferred to Crescent Elementary School and Hollywood Elementary School.
As part of the Mabscott closure plan, the Severe Disabilities Program currently located at Hollywood Elementary School will be relocated to Beckley Elementary School.
The proposed closures were recommended by the superintendent as Raleigh County Schools faces declining student enrollment and financial challenges.
The school district has reportedly lost more than 2,200 students over the past decade. Officials have identified school consolidation as a way to reduce operating expenses, with the closure of Cranberry-Prosperity Elementary alone projected to save approximately $1.1 million annually.
The proposals have drawn concerns from parents and community members regarding potential increases in class sizes, longer bus routes and the loss of neighborhood schools.
Tuesday’s votes mark the county board’s formal approval of both closures. The plans remain subject to any required approval by the West Virginia Board of Education before taking effect.
Both schools will remain open through the remainder of the current school year, with the closures scheduled for after the 2026-2027 academic year.
