Parents, students and teachers urge board to spare Steel Lane and ArtQuest as budget cuts loom
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Summary
Dozens of students, parents, teachers and alumni told the Santa Rosa board Feb. 11 that closing Steele Lane Elementary and shrinking ArtQuest class periods would harm students and drive families away, presenting enrollment, cultural and equity arguments against proposed cuts.
A steady stream of students, parents and educators addressed the Santa Rosa City Schools board on Feb. 11 to urge preservation of Steele Lane Elementary and the ArtQuest magnet program and to oppose deep reductions to school‑based mental‑health and special‑education supports.
Multiple young students delivered short appeals that Steele Lane is their school of belonging; one student said, “I love my school because it's where I learn new things and get hugs from my teachers.” Parents and staff warned the proposed closure or boundary changes would displace 420–422 students, strain neighboring campuses, increase busing and potentially cost the district money to rent and refurbish portables.
ArtQuest students and alumni described the program as a district magnet that attracts out‑of‑district enrollment and revenue. Several ArtQuest students testified that reducing two‑hour block schedules to a single period would degrade college‑level instruction and risk teachers leaving the program. Teachers and program supporters cited performance awards and festival distinctions as evidence of the program’s educational value.
Teachers, union representatives and education specialists told trustees the proposed cuts to co‑teaching, SDC classes and school‑based therapists would increase caseloads and likely create legal and operational problems, including the need to open more specialized classrooms that the district may not be able to staff. A sixth‑grade teacher said school closures and program cuts risked “wiping out” services that keep students engaged.
Trustees acknowledged public testimony and several said they would seek additional analysis; Trustee Medina asked that the Steele Lane request be placed on the next agenda‑setting meeting so the board could consider a formal action. The board did not reverse the proposals that night; trustees said staff would return with further information about site impacts, staffing and cost analyses.
Public commenters emphasized equity concerns: one parent told the board closing Steel Lane would send “a harmful message about which communities are valued and which are disposable.” Speakers urged the board to prioritize classroom staff and student supports over central‑office spending and consultants.
No formal vote on the Steele Lane closure occurred that night; the community’s appeals and the board’s direction to return with more information set the path for additional review and possible future action.