Minneapolis Public Schools backs off school closure plan
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After putting forward a proposal last month to close up to 16 schools in Minneapolis, leaders in the state’s fourth-largest district say they no longer plan to make the closures.
The board had been set to vote on the closures in November. But on Tuesday, board members voted to avoid any school closures next year.
“Based on what we’ve heard so clearly, so overwhelmingly and from so many people, even with a few days left of the listening period, I must recommend now that the school board not move forward with any school closures at this time,” District Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams said at the start of Tuesday’s regular business meeting — resulting in cheers and applause from the crowd.
Sayles-Adams added that she believed changes still needed to happen, but that the community needed “more time to process something so big.”
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At Tuesday’s meeting, board members — in addition to dismissing any school closures before the end of the 2027-28 school year — committed district leaders’ recommendations to discuss enrollment growth strategies, early childhood enrollment, reviewing school start and end times, school choice assignments and the distribution of needs-based government funding.
The district continues to face enrollment challenges, and Sayles-Adams warned the upcoming budget process might be difficult.
“We will do our best that we can during the budget process to minimize impacts to students. However, because we’ve made significant reductions in recent years, we have fewer options than in the past,” Sayles-Adams said.
Many board members said the superintendent’s recommendation was a surprise, but one they welcomed.
“This is a blindside move,” board member Sharon El-Amin said, adding that she was glad the superintendent had recommended not closing schools.
“I want this city to heal. Let’s just take a breath, OK?” said Collin Beachy, the school board chair.
Over the past month, community members and the teachers union had voiced intense scrutiny and opposition to the district’s closure proposals. The district had said it suggested closures as a way to make better use of limited funds and underutilized buildings.
School board member Abdul Abdi said he believed pausing closures was in line with feedback he’d heard from community members.
“I have met 98 different communities in my district, I have listened to them, I consult with them and I attended three school listening sessions. We heard loud and clear — this city and this community went through a lot this year, and we need stability,” Abdi said.
