In swift reversal, Minneapolis Public Schools superintendant cancels plan to close schools

Lyndale Elementary Schools students board the bus after school on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minn. (Photo by Ellen Schmidt/Minnesota Reformer)Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams said she would no longer recommend closing any schools next school year, less than a month after first proposing closures. Board Chair Collin Beachy said that he would not allow any resolutions to close schools for the 2027-28 school year to be placed on the board agenda this year.  The state’s third-largest school district runs 59 school buildings for approximately 29,000 students. The district recently analyzed buildings and determined more than half are considered “under-utilized,” or 70% of capacity or less. The district operates its buildings with significantly fewer students per building than other large Minnesota districts. The announcement surprised some board members, including Director Sharon El-Amin, who said she was “blindsided” by the superintendent’s announceme