Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams announced at a Tuesday night board meeting that she recommends the board not close or merge any schools next year.
The announcement was a striking reversal from a meeting a month ago, when her staff introduced three proposals that would each close at least 15 Minneapolis schools next year. The board had been expected to vote on the proposals Nov. 10.
Sayles-Adams said she had heard repeatedly through listening sessions and surveys that the timeline was too short, and that her recommendation not to move forward with those proposals was rooted in community feedback.
“Instead of closures, I recommend that we move forward with the parts of our proposal that focus on enrollment growth, expanding early childhood programs, refining school choice policies, and other areas to use resources differently,” she said.
The boardroom, packed with parents and community members, stood and applauded.
She said she welcomes help from the community with enrollment and marketing opportunities, as well as educating lawmakers on funding and policy needs. She also cautioned that changes would still be necessary in the short and long term, and said that educational opportunities may be unequal across the district because resources are spread across too many buildings.
“As always, we’ll do our best that we can during the budget process to minimize impacts to students,” she said. “However, because we’ve made significant reductions in recent years, we have fewer options than in the past.”
School board chair Collin Beachy thanked the superintendent.
“We did not begin this process because we wanted to close schools,” he said. “We began this process because we know not every child is receiving the same education.”
He noted that many of the problems the district faces are systemic: housing instability, declining birth rates, and the failure of state and federal governments to provide necessary funding for special education services that schools are legally required to provide.
“I’ve seen what happens when students have the resources, relationships, and opportunities they need, and I’ve seen what happens when they don’t,” he said. “I want us to keep coming back to the question that started this work: What are we willing to do to ensure that every child in Minneapolis Public Schools receives the education they deserve?”
School board members Greta Callahan and Sharon El-Amin had prepared to introduce a resolution to Tuesday’s meeting agenda to prevent school closures in the next academic year. Beachy said he would follow the superintendent’s recommendation and would not entertain any proposals to close schools next year. Because of that, he said, he did not add the resolution to the agenda.
“I want the city to heal,” Beachy said, choking up. “Let’s just take a breath, okay?”
School board surprise
Some board members expressed surprise at Sayles-Adams’ announcement, and displeasure about the process. El-Amin said the announcement was a “blindside move, even though I’m grateful.” She said she had hoped the board would weigh in with a resolution, rather than an announcement from the superintendent and chair.
Board member Lori Norvell said that trust, confidentiality, and possibly open meeting laws had been broken when El-Amin and Callahan shared their proposed resolution with news outlets prior to Tuesday’s meeting. Callahan countered that she had followed a proper process and was surprised not to have her resolution added to the agenda.
“I really appreciate the chair and superintendent’s words, but that is not action. Those are words, and the board has to take action,” Callahan said. “This resolution aims to restore the trust our community has lost over the last month. It shows our families that, when they speak, this board listens and acts.”
After a sometimes contentious discussion, the board voted to add the resolution by El-Amin and Callahan to the agenda.
The public speaks
The public comment period at Tuesday’s meeting was the first opportunity the public had to address the school board since the transformation plans were unveiled a month ago. Some speakers stuck to their prepared remarks, while others went off script to thank Sayles-Adams for listening to the community. Several students spoke in support of their own schools.
Sayidali Hussein, a student at Wellstone International High School, which serves English learners aged 18-22, implored the school board not to close his school.
“Wellstone is not just a school to me. It feels like my home,” he said. “After only two months at Wellstone I received an opportunity to take college classes. That opportunity changed the way I thought about my future.”
Moving the school would hurt his ability to take college classes, he said. Wellstone is located at Minneapolis College, which provides students with easy access to enroll in college classes.
Harriet Tralle, a sixth grader, outlined all the changes that had taken place in their educational career. Harriet started kindergarten on Zoom during COVID, and when they went back in person switched to a new class.
“That was a pretty big interruption,” Harriet said.
As Harriet started first grade in 2021, the Comprehensive District Design — the district’s last major overhaul — went into effect, changing the focus and grade levels of their school.
The following year, an educator strike closed schools for three weeks, adding time to the end of the school year. In fourth and fifth grade, Harriet’s class size grew large, reaching 39 kids at one point.
“Don’t you think my education has been interrupted enough?” Harriet asked. “Please be careful about what other changes you make to my education. Can you please wait to make another plan so you won’t be changing it again before I graduate?”
Adriana Rosas, a student at Longfellow Alternative High School, which serves pregnant and parenting teens, spoke in defense of her school, which the district had proposed to close. She said that Longfellow was the first school where she had felt comfortable and happy.
“Having an all-female school with young mothers who share similar experiences creates a space where we truly understand and care for each other,” she said. “Moving us to a different location will destroy the atmosphere we have cultivated here.”
Many parents spoke as well. Robert Thesing, who brought his giggling young daughters to the dais with him, thanked Sayles-Adams for her change of direction.
“I believe that is a sign of true leadership, and I think it’s one small step forward in establishing trust with parents like myself in MPS schools,” he said. “Please let me know — let our community know — what can we do for you. We trust you. Please show us true leadership, and we will rise to the occasion.”
Catina Taylor, president of the educational support professional chapter of the Minneapolis Federation of Educators, also thanked the board.
“I sincerely appreciate our directors for listening to the concerns of our communities and staff about the plans for school transformation proposed last month,” she said.
She asked the district to focus on enrollment strategies instead.
“Please use tonight to put this painful chapter behind us, so that we can get back to building the destination district that we know Minneapolis deserves,” she said.
Determining next steps
Later in the meeting, board members discussed the feedback they’ve received from the community, and pondered what might come next.
Norvell said she’s heard from constituents about the importance of small schools, and appreciated their feedback.
“It’s also true that we, as a district, are not educating many of our most vulnerable students to the best of our ability. And what we’re doing right now is not sustainable in the long term. We cannot continue to move funds generated by a Northside school to subsidize the budget of a smaller school that does not generate sufficient funds,” she said. “I understand this may not be the time to move forward on closing or merging schools, but we have to do something.”
She praised Sayles-Adams’ willingness to listen to feedback and change her recommendation.
“Following a process, listening to community, and being willing to pivot when needed is what good leadership looks like,” she said.
Board member Joyner Emerick cautioned that the road ahead would not be easy.
“I think that if we’re not going to go forward with school closures at this time, that’s going to start to mean some really hard budgetary conversations,” they said.
El-Amin, introducing her resolution, said that while change was necessary, families needed to be involved in the process and understand what their children would gain.
“We understand that Minneapolis Public Schools cannot continue to operate the way that we have,” she said. “We have financial challenges, declining enrollment, and some difficult decisions ahead of us. I am not opposed, we are not opposed, to closing or merging schools when it means that we can provide our children with stronger academic opportunities, the resources they deserve, and a better educational experience. But our why must be clear.”
She suggested that in the next budget process, the board should ensure that Northside funds stay with Northside schools, rather than sending them to subsidize smaller schools elsewhere in the city.
“I believe real transformation happens when our families are part of the process, not just informed of the outcomes,” she said. “A delay here tonight is not a denial. It is an opportunity again for us to get it right. Our children deserve that. Our families deserve that.”
The board unanimously adopted an amended version of El-Amin’s resolution, stating that no schools will close next year. The resolution also pledged continued work on enrollment growth strategies, early childhood enrollment, school start and end times, and school choice policies.
