Winona Area Public Schools board declines to rescind December elementary reconfiguration; motion fails 2-5

The Winona Area Public School District Board of Education voted down a motion to rescind its December decision to reconfigure the district's elementary schools, rejecting the rescind motion by a 5-2 margin.

Director Martin Stickney moved to rescind the December vote and presented the measure after a public-comment period in which teachers and parents and other residents urged both for and against the proposal. After procedural debate, the board took a roll-call vote that produced two votes in favor of rescission and five opposed; the rescind motion therefore failed.

Supporters of the reconfiguration argued the plan addresses persistent inequities in class size and resource allocation and preserves three elementary school buildings while reorganizing grade structures. Opponents, including Goodview staff and parents who spoke during public comment, warned the plan will uproot students and staff, risk losing families, create longer bus rides for very young children, and leave accessibility issues unresolved for students with mobility needs.

Board members pressed staff and each other for data during the discussion: projected budget and funding sources for implementation, how busing and wheelchair-accessible transportation would be handled, the number of additional bus routes or wheelchair buses that would be required, estimated staff gains or losses, and the specific evidence the board used to justify splitting pre-kindergarten and kindergarten from older grades. Several directors said those implementation details and cost projections were not yet finalized and urged caution before moving quickly.

Other board members said the reconfiguration had been under consideration for months in public work sessions and listening sessions, and they argued the December vote reflected that process. Those directors said inaction would leave known inequities unaddressed.

Outcome: because the motion to rescind failed, the board's December reconfiguration decision remains in effect. Directors directed staff to return with more detailed implementation planning, including cost estimates, accessibility work scopes and timelines, and transportation plans, so the board can monitor rollout and mitigation measures.

Votes: On the motion to rescind the December reconfiguration vote, the board recorded two votes in favor of rescission and five opposed; the motion failed.

Context: The reconfiguration has drawn multiple public comment sessions across several meetings. Speakers included district teachers who supported the change as a path to greater equity and parents and staff at Goodview who said they had not been given sufficient answers about busing, special education placement, and accessibility.