Washington DC (Map, News) - Four D.C. schools that had not been slated to close are suddenly facing a fight for survival, and six have been given a reprieve under the new list released by Schools Chancellor Michele Rhee on Friday.

Her revised proposal has 21 schools targeted for closure, along with two education centers.

Rhee and D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty said they remain convinced that the District is operating far too many schools.

They changed their minds on some of the closures following months of public outcry and hearings. The schools taken off of the chopping block are Bruce Monroe, Burroughs and Smothers elementary schools, Browne and Shaw junior highs and Ron Brown Middle School.

Councilman Jack Evans fervently pushed for Shaw, and Burroughs - who Council Chairman Vincent Gray pledged to keep open - consistently had the largest and most vocal contingent of parents opposing closure.

While most activists celebrated these schools' new lease on life, they told The Examiner it felt like a hollow victory, given that new schools went on the list in their place.

"Basically it's like they're [closing] Benning to get Smothers, and that's not great for anyone," said ANC Commissioner Sheila Carr, who has grandchildren in the school system.

Councilman Jim Graham, who represents Ward 1, said his new cause is to ensure the four newly added schools get a voice. Rhee said their fates won't be decided until after a Feb. 27 hearing.

"The hearing process gives schools the opportunity to make their cases. Park View and Garnet Patterson have very strong cases," Graham said. "They haven't made them yet, though, because they figured they were home free. Now it's clear they're not."

According to city estimates, $17 million in facilities costs will be saved by shutting down the campuses.

It's a figure some community members charged was too meager to justify upsetting school communities so much.

Fenty, however, said to individual schools and individual teachers the money will make a tangible difference.

Friday's new plan also calls for a majority of the schools set to receive students from closing schools to get facilities repairs during a massive summer blitz.

Tony Robinson, spokesman for the facilities office, said it's unknown how involved or costly that undertaking will be.

"What was unveiled is a different list than anything we've ever seen," he said. " We now have to go back and reassess for about a third of the schools."

dlevitz@dcexaminer.com

Who's out, who's in

Schools dropped from closing list:

Bruce Monroe Elementary

John Burroughs

Smothers Elementary

Browne Junior High

Ron Brown Middle

Shaw Junior High

Schools added to list:

Benning Elementary

Park View Elementary

Merritt Middle

Garnet-Patterson Middle