Overview
- District officials named Union Park Middle and Bonneville, Chickasaw, Eccleston, Meadow Woods, McCoy and Orlo Vista elementary schools for possible closure or reconfiguration.
- Enrollment fell by about 6,500 students this year, costing roughly $50 million, with several campuses operating near half capacity; Union Park enrolls about 560 students in a building built for more than 1,400.
- The school board scheduled a Dec. 16 work session to discuss options, and any closures would occur at the end of this school year with student reassignment for 2026–27.
- Under the new Schools of Hope law, charter operators filed roughly 53 rent-free occupancy requests for underused buildings; district leaders say requests have been denied and the policy has accelerated their timeline.
- Leaders cite state per-pupil funding and overhead costs as key pressures, while the teachers union calls for greater transparency and protections for educators.