OLYMPIA, Wash. Parents crowded into an Olympia School District board meeting this week to push back against a proposal that would close and consolidate three elementary schools, according to FOX 13 Seattle.
The plan under consideration would shut down McKenny, Madison and L.P. Brown elementary schools. Dozens of community members used the public comment period to urge board members to keep their neighborhood schools open, FOX 13 reported.
"You are elected representatives, which means you represent us," one parent told the board. "We're telling you please keep the schools open."
Some families said the proposal has them rethinking their future in the district. "I'm still trying to figure out what we're going to do as a family next year," another parent testified. "We may stay in the district, we may not."
Another speaker pressed the board on whether it had enough data to justify the move, asking members to reject the plan if it cannot guarantee long-term financial stability while minimizing harm to students.
District leaders say the closures are driven by declining enrollment and ongoing budget problems. According to information shared at the meeting, the district's enrollment peaked in 2019.
Olympia is not alone. FOX 13 reports that districts across Western Washington, including Seattle, Northshore and Bellingham, are also studying school closures as they confront deficits and shrinking student numbers.
The board has not made a final decision. A vote on the consolidation proposal is scheduled for Nov. 12.