Lorenzo Walker Technical High School Set to Close in 2028

In an email sent on the last day of school, Collier County Public Schools announced that Lorenzo Walker Technical High School’s Class of 2028 will be the last students to graduate and experience the enriching technical education that the institution’s academics have to offer. Higher-ups, including the board and the school superintendent, argue that the school’s closure will be beneficial in improving the high demand for technical education and programs in the grand scheme of things, however, many students are disputing this claim, some even attending Monday’s school board meeting in an effort to save the school from closure. 

Previously, only students from Lorenzo Walker High School could attend the technical college. However, starting in the 2023-2024 school year, students from all Collier High Schools can apply and take courses. Leslie Ricciardelli, the Superintendent of Collier County Public Schools, outlined in the recent letter to students, parents, staff, and the community that their goal is to expand access to technical education throughout Collier. Ricciardelli mentioned that there is a substantial waitlist for their technical programs each year and emphasized the need to increase access to develop a well-trained local workforce. The plan is to close the high school and integrate it into the college campus, allowing more students to dual-enroll and participate in these collegiate technical programs.

Currently, very few students apart from those attending Lorenzo Walker Technical High School, dual enroll at Lorenzo Walker Technical College. Additionally, the enrollment at the college's feeder high school is limited to 600 students, with a maximum of 150 students per grade. The Lorenzo Walker campus will begin offering dual enrollment classes for county juniors and seniors starting in the fall of 2026. This approach is already in place at Immokalee Technical College and is similar to the existing CCPS dual enrollment programs at Florida SouthWestern State College, as mentioned in the letter.

Students and parents opposing the high school’s closure have voiced their concerns with the already limited pool of resources in Collier County for students in high school specifically to gain vocational experience or attend technical programs or classes fit for their needs. Those in opposition of the 2028 closure propose the question that if there is no longer going to be the option to attend the Lorenzo Walker Technical High School, how will students receive the tailored education needed to prepare them for the prolific academics offered at the Lorenzo Walker Technical College and other vocational colleges/trade schools they plan on attending after high school?

Lorenzo Walker High School Senior Anthony Rivero, who opposes the high school’s closure, along with his peers, have organized a petition titled 'Save Lorenzo Walker Technical High School (LWTHS)' on change.org. It has rapidly garnered over 1,000 signatures and the students are organizing a peaceful protest. Many students and alumni are remarking on their successes and achievements credited to the resources that Lorenzo Walker High School provided them with. They emphasize the importance of higher education and what everyone attending the technical high school allows them to achieve.