School Board Plans K-8 Conversion at Lincoln
Alachua County's board will convert the Lincoln Middle School campus in Gainesville into a K-8 school, with construction planned after community input.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Secondary Education
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The Alachua County School Board plans to transform the Lincoln Middle School campus in Gainesville into a K-8 school serving students from Lincoln Middle and Williams Elementary. The board has budgeted $96 million for the project, which will honor the legacy of the late Joseph Williams and A. Quinn Jones.
Why it matters
The plan reshapes school options for Gainesville families as Stephen Foster Elementary closes in 2026 and Williams Elementary closes at the end of the 2027-2028 school year. Community input sessions give families, staff and residents a chance to speak with project architects before construction begins.
The school board has budgeted $96 million for the conversion, with community input sessions scheduled at 6 pm on November 10 and December 1, 2026, in the Lincoln Middle School auditorium. Construction timing and final enrollment capacity have not been detailed in the published plan.
The players
Alachua County School Board
The elected body that governs public schools in Alachua County, Florida, and made the decision to convert the Lincoln Middle campus and close nearby elementary schools.
The details
The campus will serve K-8 students from Lincoln Middle and Williams Elementary once the project is complete. Both input sessions will be held in the Lincoln Middle School auditorium, giving families and staff a direct forum with project architects.
Timeline
2026: Stephen Foster Elementary closes.
November 10, 2026, 6 pm: First community input session at Lincoln Middle School auditorium.
December 1, 2026, 6 pm: Second community input session at Lincoln Middle School auditorium.
End of 2027-2028 school year: Williams Elementary closes.
Fall or winter 2029: Expected completion of the K-8 campus.
Season Trajectory
The Lincoln conversion extends Alachua County's pattern of closing elementary schools while expanding K-8 campuses on existing sites. It signals the district's continued consolidation of its footprint as enrollment and facility costs shift.
Families with students at Stephen Foster, Williams, or Lincoln can plan around the 2026 and 2027-2028 closures and the expected 2029 opening of the K-8 campus. Attending the November and December input sessions gives parents a direct opportunity to raise questions with project architects before construction starts.
The takeaway
Parents should watch the two input sessions and the 2027-2028 transition timeline closely, since school assignments will shift before the campus opens. Early participation gives families the clearest say in how the K-8 program takes shape.
What happens next
The first community input session is scheduled for November 10, 2026 at 6 pm, followed by a second session on December 1, 2026 at 6 pm, both in the Lincoln Middle School auditorium.
Further reading
For more on how districts are reshaping grade configurations, see Secondary Education coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wcjb.
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