Waukesha school district advances plans to consolidate and close some schools
By Emily Pofahl
Click here for updates on this story
WAUKESHA, Wisconsin (WISN) — The Waukesha Board of Education voted Wednesday night to move forward with plans to close and consolidate several schools, as it anticipates a 2% annual decline in enrollment over the next decade.
During a tense board meeting, parents, students, and teachers took turns urging the board to reconsider which schools to close. Some parents said they felt they were being pitted against each other, competing to keep their schools open.
The schools under consideration for closure are Bethesda, Hawthorne, Prairie and Lowell elementary schools.
“Without the teachers at Lowell, I honestly don’t know where my daughter would be today,” one parent said.
District staff proposed seven different cost-cutting options during a board meeting Wednesday, listed as options A through G. Options E, F, and G were added after previous community feedback sessions.
The plans included a combination of redistricting, consolidating schools, selling buildings and closing some. Community members at Wednesday’s meeting called for an impact study before any decisions are made.
Facing a yearly budget deficit of $3 to $4 million, the district says it cannot wait for an impact study.
“As tough as these decisions are, we cannot afford to keep spending on underutilized buildings,” one board member said.
District staff said any changes would not take effect until the 2026-27 school year. The board voted to narrow down its options to three, listed as E, F, and G, with plans to formally select one option in November and make a final vote in December.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.