Dozens of community members told the Corvallis School Board on Dec. 11 that a recent decision to close two elementary schools should be reconsidered after state forecasts reduced the projected shortfall.

Parents and residents focused on capacity, transportation and equity. Michael Eller, a parent of four, said a new state quarterly forecast reduced the statewide shortfall from $373 million to $63 million and cut the district's projected gap to below $1 million. "This is an unexpected gift," he told the board, urging a pause so the district can "develop thoughtful plans" with community input. Will Roden Colbert urged the board not to rely on convenience-based metrics to rank closures, warning Betsy Coleman is projected to far exceed capacity under the plan.

Why it matters: Board members voted Nov. 13 to close two schools as part of a consolidation package intended to address a multi-year budget deficit. Several public commenters said the revised state numbers change the urgency and provide time for boundary realignment, more comprehensive planning with city and transportation partners, and better community engagement.

District response and next steps: Superintendent Ryan reviewed near-term actions already under way after the consolidation decision, including boundary-locator updates, transfer-window planning, principal placements and transition teams. He and staff told the board they are working to align transfer and athletics information and will issue staff preference forms and additional details to help employees plan. The board agreed to keep channels open for further community input and to revisit process elements; several members volunteered to help draft or coordinate follow-up sessions with staff and city partners.

Concerns and conditions: Commenters raised specific operational problems they said the board did not fully address before approving closures: school-by-school capacity and facility constraints, pedestrian and pickup-zone safety at reassigned schools, and the stress on families required to drive past closer options. Several asked that boundary changes be considered before closures so student assignments can better balance enrollment. Board members accepted these as valid questions to be folded into ongoing transition planning.

What's next: Board members said more information will be shared with families and staff in coming weeks, including transfer-window timing and staff preference forms. The district said the February state economic forecast will be a key update, but emphasized that the current local deficit projections remain a factor in budgeting. The board did not reverse its earlier votes at the Dec. 11 meeting; instead members pledged additional outreach and to evaluate the feasibility of revising implementation timelines where legally and operationally possible.