St. Paul (Minn.) district votes to close six schools

The St. Paul (Minn.) school board has voted to close six underutilized schools in light of steadily declining enrollment.

WCCO-TV reports that more than 2,000 students--about 6% of the district's enrollment--will be affected by closings.

Closing at the end of the 2021-22 school year: Galtier Elementary School, Jackson Preparatory Elementary School, John A. Johnson Achievement Plus Elementary, L’Etoile du Nord French Immersion Lower, and Parkway Montessori and Community Middle School

Barack and Michelle Obama Elementary will close at the end of the 2022-2023. 

The district had been considering closing other schools, but a revised plan spared LEAP High School, Wellstone Elementary and Highwood Hills Elementary

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that approval of the plan came nearly two months after officials proposed closing and vacating five schools and merging several others in response to declining student numbers 

The resolution passed on a 5-2 vote.