Article #1
Plans
for Closing or Repurposing Buildings Presented on 15 September 2026
Three and
a half years after the stern warning of November 2022, the staff of Superintendent
Lisa Sayles-Adams finally created a plan to address building usage issues as
part of an overall effort to achieve a “Transformation” in the Minneapolis
Public Schools.
At the 15
September 2026 meeting of the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) Board of
Education, the Superintendent Lisa Sayles- Adams administration presented three
options for building usage that depending on the plan could close 9 to 16
schools. Under any of these plans, most elementary school would have art,
music, gym, reading, and math intervention specialists. All middle school
students would have full programs of athletics and extra-curricular
activities; all high school students would have access to all classes
needed to meet graduation requirements.
Each of
the three plans would close the following schools >>>>>
>>>>>
Loring Elementary School
>>>>>
Pratt Elementary School
>>>>>
Kenny Elementary School
>>>>>
Bethune Arts Elementary School
>>>>>
Anwatin Middle School
Each of
the three plans would move students from presently occupied buildings to
continue programming in another school site >>>>>
>>>>>
Hmong International Academy (would shift culture and language magnet
programming to Jenny Lind Elementary)
>>>>>
Heritage High School (Somali student program would shift to Edison High School
>>>>>
FAIR School for Arts (would shift to North High School)
>>>>>
Longfellow Alternative High School (teen parent program would shift to North
High School)
>>>>>
Wellstone International High School (program for immigrant students ages 18 to
22 still working toward English language mastery would shift to South High
Schools.
Each of
the three plans would consolidate these schools:
- Lake Nokomis Keewaydin and Wenonah
community schools would consolidate at the Keewaydin campus
- Lake Harriet Upper and Lower
Elementary Schools would consolidate at the upper school campus
- Hiawatha and Howe Elementary Schools
would consolidate over time at the Howe campus, or they might be closed
- Hale Elementary School and Field
Elementary School would consolidate at the Hale Campus
Some
plans would close these schools:
- Cityview Elementary School
- Webster Elementary School
(Note
also that if Hiawatha and Howe do not merge, they would close.)
Former
Minnesota Federation of Educators president Greta Callahan, now MPS Board of
Education director for District 6, spoke vehemently against any school
closures. She complained that the decision had been made by seven central
office staff without sufficient consultation with the community and that the
presentation did not indicate how much money would be saved or how many
families might leave the district; and she said that the Board of
Education directive to the Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams administration was
not to bring a plan for closing schools but a plan rather for winning back the
47% of Minneapolis families of school aged children that do not select MPS over
charter schools, private schools, and other districts.
Callahan
drew loud applause from most audience members, including the heavily
represented organization, Minnesota Families for Public Schools.
But
At-Large Board Director Joyner Emerick countered that the administration had
exactly fulfilled the Board’s directive and praised the potential for equitable
distributions of resources under the plans. District 2 Director Sharon El-Amin
commended the plans for the potential to improve academic results for Black and
Brown students. District 5 Director Lori Norvell Board member also
indicated approval, agreeing with Emerick that the administration had fulfilled
directives from the Board faithfully. District 4 Director Adriana
Cerrillo, along with Emerick attending the meeting virtually, commended the
administration’s hard work but was less effusive in her praise than Emerick,
El-Amin, and Norvell.
District
3 Director Lisa Skjefte was absent.
District
1 Director Abdul Abdi questioned if Edison High School had the infrastructure
to serve Heritage High School students, expressing fear that they might seek
other options.
At-Large
Director and Board Chair Collin Beachy commended the superintendent and
administration for their hard work and conveyed openness to the changes
proposed; but he wants a plan for measuring improved academic results,
and he seeks to mitigate impact on teachers.
……………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………….
The MPS
Board of Education was slated to vote on these proposals at the 10 November
2026 regular business meeting, after meetings for community input occurred
during a period encompassing 30 September through 9 October. The community meetings transpired but the
opposition to building closures from the Minnesota Federation of Educators and
a group dubbed Minnesota Families for Public Education was such that at the 13
October regular business meeting of the MPS Board of Education, the
administration and Board retreated, so that there will no school closures
during academic year 2026-2027 and the plans for the putative “Transformation”
are indefinitely delayed.
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