Olathe District Recommends Closing Six Schools

District leaders say the change would free more than $12 million a year to better match building space to falling student numbers.

Overview

On Thursday the district presented a recommendation to close Indian Trail Middle School and five elementary schools: Black Bob, Heritage, Scarborough, Tomahawk and Walnut Grove.
District data show elementary enrollment fell from more than 14,000 to about 12,600 over the past decade and several elementary buildings now sit well below capacity.
A consultant and district leaders said the closures would reduce operating and maintenance costs and free up more than $12 million a year for the district.
Officials assured families that class sizes would not rise and that current staff positions would be retained while many parents voiced concerns about student reassignment, transportation and neighborhood impacts.
The district will take public feedback at a Sept. 22 meeting, aims to adopt new attendance boundaries by January 2027 and expects the school board to vote on the plan in October with closures targeted for the 2027–28 school year.