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Vallejo board votes to close three elementary schools after heated public comment
Summary
After hours of public testimony and debate over finances and transparency, the Vallejo City Unified School District board rescinded prior resolutions and then voted unanimously to adopt closure resolutions for Lincoln, Highland and Penny Cookook elementary schools, citing enrollment declines and fiscal pressures.
The Vallejo City Unified School District board voted April 1 to adopt resolutions to close Lincoln Elementary, Highland Elementary and Penny Cookook Elementary, saying sustained enrollment declines and ongoing fiscal pressure require ‘‘right‑sizing’’ the district.
Superintendent Ruben Aurelio told the board the rescission and re‑vote (a procedural step after a Brown Act challenge) were intended to strengthen the district’s record, not to reverse the fiscal rationale behind the closures. ‘‘The data and equity impact analysis remain unchanged,’’ Aurelio said, asking trustees to act to stabilize long‑term programming.
Trustees debated alternatives but ultimately took action after hearing extended public comment. Dozens of parents, teachers and community members urged the board to keep the schools open, describing strong instructional gains at Highland and specialized programs at Penny Cookook. ‘‘Keep Highland open — we’re doing the hard work,’’ volunteer James Gamrell said, citing year‑over‑year test growth at the school. A child who addressed trustees said simply, ‘‘You’re making people sad.’’
Board members described the decision as difficult. In remarks before the vote, Trustee Hodes said he had weighed enrollment dispersion, Measure S investments and operating costs across campuses and believed the three closures would be the most equitable way to consolidate services without undermining remaining sites. The motion to adopt the closure resolutions passed by roll call vote, 5‑0.
The adopted resolutions (numbers 5128, 5129 and 5132) outline relocation plans for students and programs and rely on exemptions under the California Environmental Quality Act, as staff previously presented. Trustees said the board will work to mitigate transportation impacts, portables and classroom space needs at receiving schools.
What happens next: The resolutions formally begin the closure and relocation process. District staff said they will publish logistics for affected families, outline timelines for program moves and provide details about service continuity for specialized programs. Several speakers asked the board to publish more accessible, plain‑language materials in Spanish and English and to hold additional community meetings; trustees and staff said those follow‑up events are planned.
The board’s action came amid broader public concern at the meeting about staff layoffs and contracting decisions; those issues were raised repeatedly during the community forum and are being considered in separate items and future sessions.
The board adjourned after completing remaining agenda items and scheduled a study session for April 22 and a follow‑up labor meeting on April 23.
