Nehilah Grand-Pierre
•8/29/2026
Parents at Buckingham Exceptional Student Center are expressing concerns after the school district announced that this will be the last year students attend the facility, which is specifically designed for children with special needs and mobility issues. “She enjoys the bus coming every morning. I see happiness in her that I had not seen in a while. She endures a lot of stuff. It's amazing to come here and get pictures of her at school, doing activities, smiling, happy,” said Christie Steinkamp about her daughter, a Buckingham student. The district had paused plans to move students back in April after parents raised concerns, but this week, officials confirmed that students will be relocated to Royal Palm Exceptional Student Center next fall to form one consolidated Exceptional Student Education school. The district said the new plan will include physical modifications to merge the two schools. “Our students just don't adapt the same way other kids do. It is a huge deal for these students to have even come to school,” said Katie Peterson, another Buckingham parent. The School District of Lee County Regional Superintendent said in a statement, “We heard from our families on what they want incorporated those ideas into our plan.” They also announced plans to hold a series of meetings with parents throughout the process of creating the new school. Steinkamp voiced her disappointment with the decision, saying, “They're trying to fix something that's not broken. Buckingham is amazing, and it meets every need for all of our students. Not just some, all of them.” The new campus is expected to open next August. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
