Olathe Board of Education approves closure of six schools

The Olathe Board of Education voted unanimously to close six schools, effective at the end of the 2026-27 school year. The closures impact Indian Trail Middle School and five elementary schools: Black Bob, Walnut Grove, Heritage, Tomahawk, and Scarborough. The district, located in Kansas, proposed the closures on September 3, 2026, and held a final vote on October 1.

Reasons behind the decision

Enrollment has fallen from 30,299 students in the 2019-20 school year to 28,140 in 2025-26. The district expects to lose nearly 1,000 more students over the next five years. Rising housing costs and lower regional birthrates are driving the decline.

This loss of more than 2,000 students amounts to a $22 million annual reduction in operating funds. Inadequate state funding for special education adds significant financial pressure. The Kansas legislature is not funding special education at the legally required level of 92% for excess local costs, forcing the district to move millions from its general fund. The decision followed an extensive study, community engagement, and a review of facilities and enrollment projections.

Community response and next steps

Parent advocacy group Olathe Families United is leading a petition against the closures. The group, launching the '6,100 Voices' campaign, aims to gather 6,100 signatures from local registered voters. The petition requests that the Kansas State Board of Education review the district’s decision.

The district's next phase involves developing new attendance boundaries. Community meetings are planned from mid-October to mid-November to gather feedback, with a goal to establish final boundaries by January 2027. These changes will affect both closing and remaining schools. Each impacted school will have a transition team including principals, staff, and parents to support students. Staff members will be placed in jobs elsewhere in the district. The six schools will operate normally until their closure.

Leadership perspective

Superintendent Brent Yeager and Board President Julie Steele described the decision as somber and emotional. Yeager announced the closure in a September 8 message to the community. He stated that no staff members would lose their jobs and that the district would help students and staff transition to new schools for the 2027-28 school year.

Yeager said the selection resulted from a comprehensive process involving a task force and steering committee that analyzed about 40 criteria. These included declining birth rates, enrollment projections, maintenance costs, and school density, which was especially considered on the district's east side. Some schools, like Green Springs and Havencroft, remain open due to newer facilities or long-term flexibility. Yeager emphasized approaching the process with care, compassion, and respect. "Families will be saying goodbye to schools that have been an important part of their lives and their neighborhoods," he said.

The district will share more information about consolidation plans, boundary maps, and transportation in the coming weeks, with a timeline and boundary map update expected in November.