Eau Claire Area School District Drops Consolidation Plans

Eau Claire Area School District officials say they no longer plan to consolidate some elementary schools amid opposition from parents.

Superintendent Mike Johnson shared two potential plans in a letter to parents in September. The proposed plans involved the consolidation of Longfellow, Roosevelt, and Flynn Elementary Schools to address overall enrollment decline.

Superintendent Johnson noted that around 1,650 available seats were vacant in the district for this school year. He also said the district has seen an overall enrollment decrease of over 8 percent throughout the last decade.

Declining enrollment has become a common issue for school districts across the state. In October, the Hudson School Board announced the permanent closure of two elementary schools due to declining enrollment and increased costs, which they say will save the district around $3.3 million. Declining enrollment and increased costs are also commonly cited issues when school districts are explaining the need for an operational referendum to local voters.

Eau Claire community members pushed back against the district’s consolidation plans, expressing support for their smaller school communities and the benefits of having smaller class sizes. They also questioned how consolidation could affect future school referendum proposals.

According to a WEAU report, Superintendent Johnson announced this week that the proposed consolidation plans would not move forward. He also assured residents that there would be no significant boundary changes or school closures until at least the 2027-2028 school year. In the interim, Eau Claire Area School District officials will examine alternate solutions to addressing the declining enrollment.