The Dayton (Ohio) school board has voted to close two schools later this year as a part of a facility consolidation plan.
The Dayton Daily News reports that the plan, recommended by new superintendent Elizabeth Lolli, also could result in additional closings in future years.
Under the plan, Valerie Elementary and the Innovative Learning Center will close this summer as well as the the district's headquarters building.
Shortly after the board voted 7-0 to make Elizabeth Lolli permanent superintendent, they also voted unanimously to follow through with Lolli’s recommendation to begin a three-year plan that also calls for further consolidations.
Lolli said in a message on the district's website that her recommendations were based on enrollment numbers, costs of properties and facilities maintenance and repair, staffing needs, accessibility to schools and community impact.
Lolli had recommended that students in grades seven and eight be housed at just four schools instead of the current seven. The proposal was later modified so that current seventh graders at Meadowdale High School, Belmont High School, Dayton Boys Preparatory Academy and Charity Adams Earley Girls Academy will stay one more year at those schools and then transition into high school.
The district and the city of Dayton created a community task force earlier this year to study the feasibility of closing or consolidating underused school facilities.
The process generated objections from some in the community. Dayton resident David Esrati filed a lawsuit accusing the district of not following open meetings laws when he was denied access to bus tour of district facilities by the task force.
A judge earlier this week refused to issue a preliminary injunction sought by Esrati to halt the school capacity plan process.
