Robbinsdale board approves closures for middle school, two elementary schools and district office after hours of public testimony

The Robbinsdale Area Schools board voted on Dec. 15 to close Robbinsdale Middle School, Noble Elementary and Sonocent Elementary and to relocate the Education Services Center, following an administrative presentation on capacity and a lengthy public hearing in which parents, staff, students and local officials urged the board to pause and seek more information.

The board’s votes came after an administrative report that described the district as facing statutory operating debt and operating more buildings than needed. Dr. McDowell presented enrollment and capacity figures for each site and cited projected efficiencies from consolidations; the report listed Robbinsdale Middle School at 571 students on Oct. 1, 2025 (roughly 35.6% utilization) and estimated Education Services Center facility needs at about $11 million–$13 million.

Why it matters: The votes will change where about 1,700 students attend school next year, according to presenters and community speakers, and will reshape neighborhood programs and special‑education placements in parts of the district. Parents and staff repeatedly warned that closures would disrupt specialized programs—particularly Sonocent’s STARS program for students with emotional and behavioral needs—and that the timeline felt rushed.

Community testimony and concerns

More than 60 people spoke during the hearing. Nikki Hayes, a fourth‑ and fifth‑grade teacher at Sonocent Elementary, told the board that Sonocent “serves an overwhelmingly vulnerable population” and warned that closing the school “dismantles systems that took years to build and places students with the highest needs into environments that are neither designed nor staffed to support them.” Becky Gumbs, who spoke for Sonocent, cited district literacy metrics and said Sonocent’s programs had produced measurable gains.

Local elected officials and community leaders also spoke. Robbinsdale Mayor Brad Sutton said the decision could leave the city without a community public school and urged the board to consider the longer‑term impact on neighborhoods and property values. Several speakers, including parents and vision‑team members, asked the board to request a 90‑day extension to the Department of Education’s statutory operating debt (SOD) timeline to allow more community engagement and additional data review.

Board deliberation and votes

After public testimony the board deliberated in an order set by the chair. Directors discussed program continuity (noting concerns about theater/auditorium capacity at Robbinsdale Middle), special‑education needs, and property repurposing possibilities. Roll‑call votes recorded in the meeting produced these outcomes:

Votes at a glance

- Robbinsdale Middle School (resolution to close): Passed 5–1. Recorded votes: Director Bassett — yes; Director Bowman — yes; Chair Evans Becker — yes; Director Hillenbrand — yes; Director Long — no; Director Wuto — yes.

- Lakeview Elementary (resolution to close): Motion failed on roll call (school remains open). Recorded votes show multiple 'no' votes; directors cited community impact and the desire to keep at least one neighborhood school in Robbinsdale.

- Neil Elementary (resolution to close): Motion failed (vote recorded in transcript as not prevailing; at least one abstention recorded).

- Noble Elementary (resolution to close): Passed 4–2 (closure approved).

- Sonocent Elementary (resolution to close): Passed in a roll‑call vote recorded in the meeting (4–2 in favor).

- Education Services Center (resolution to close/relocate): Passed on roll call; directors discussed move costs and operational tradeoffs before approving closure.

What board members said

Several directors acknowledged the difficulty of the choices. Director Bassett and Director Long described reservations about closing large multifunction facilities such as Robbinsdale Middle School and the ESC and emphasized the need to understand repurposing options. Director Hillenbrand said the board had heard the community’s concerns about theater and special programs and expected administration to address program logistics. Chair Evans Becker called the votes “hard” and noted the decisions were driven by the district’s fiscal position and the statutory process described in the administration’s timeline.

Administration’s next steps and implementation

The resolutions include administrative directions for implementation; the chair said the resolutions themselves contain the instructions for the administration. The board did not detail every operational step in the public meeting; parents and advocates asked for clearer transition plans for special‑education placements, magnet and IB programming, transportation, and support for students who will change schools.

What happens next

Some votes failed and some passed, leaving a mixed set of outcomes across the district. The board added listening times to solicit additional feedback (a listening time on Jan. 5 preceding the organizational meeting and an additional session on Dec. 22 were approved). Board members and community speakers urged administration to provide side‑by‑side capacity, program and cost data and asked the board to consider seeking additional time from the state for the SOD process.

The board adjourned after completing the scheduled votes and items for the evening.