Board presents deconsolidation plan to split Mountain View School District into two districts

At a public hearing, a board presenter outlined a formal plan to divide Mountain View School District into two new districts, named in the proposal as Clearwater Valley School District (SD 245) and Grangeville School District (SD 246). The presenter said the draft plan and a rationale page are posted on the district website and will be updated after public feedback.

The presenter said Idaho statutes set the process: a deconsolidation requires specific plan documents, public meetings and a two-prong election (a simple majority across the current district plus a simple majority in the smaller of the two proposed districts). "If the Board of Trustees were to make that, the plan is that it is what's in the best interest of children," the presenter said. He listed Idaho Code sections that guide naming, boundaries and election procedures and said the proposal includes maps, GIS layers, sample ballot language and a question-and-answer section.

The plan as described would assign communities such as Kooske, Stites, Harpster, Clearwater and Elk City to Clearwater Valley SD 245 and Grangeville, Finn, Mount Bridal and Whitebird to Grangeville SD 246. The presenter said the split is intended to give more local control and more direct representation to small, geographically dispersed communities. The presenter noted the proposal timeline anticipates an effective deconsolidation date of 07/01/2026 to allow time for contract transitions (food service, IT, curriculum) and other administrative actions.