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Scottsbluff School Board votes to close Lake Minotaire Elementary at end of 2025–26
Summary
After a staff recommendation citing state revenue caps and a projected budget shortfall, the Scottsbluff Public Schools Board voted to close Lake Minotaire Elementary at the end of the 2025–26 school year; residents and staff urged alternatives and said closure would harm a high-performing rural school.
The Scottsbluff Public Schools Board of Education voted on a motion to close Lake Minotaire Elementary at the conclusion of the 2025–26 school year and to list the building for sale, following a staff recommendation that the district needs to reduce general-fund expenditures to meet statutory revenue limitations.
Board members moved the motion after a presentation from district finance staff outlining the revenue cap created by the School District Property Tax Limitation Act and district projections that the closure would reduce annual expenditures by roughly $750,000. Board discussion emphasized fiduciary responsibility; a trustee who supported the motion said board members rely on staff expertise and long-term forecasts in making such decisions.
The decision came after nearly two hours of public comment. Dozens of parents, teachers, alumni and community members urged the board to pause and consider alternatives, raising questions about the calculation of projected savings, the loss of the elementary site allowance and impacts on students and the rural community. Tracy Barrett, a 27-year Lake Minotaire teacher, implored the board: “We are here to do what is best for kids,” and asked trustees to weigh educational and community consequences alongside dollars.
Administration staff said the district’s projection assumes all Lake Minotaire students remain in-district, that boundaries be absorbed into Longfellow, nine full-time positions could be reduced through attrition and the building could be sold to reduce ongoing facility costs. District staff also cautioned that certain one-time increases in state apportionment experienced in the prior year should not be counted on for 2627 and that non-general funds are not available for day-to-day operations.
Supporters of the closure argued the district must plan within the revenue cap and control long-term obligations. Opponents highlighted research and local experience showing student disruption after closures, disputed the net savings figure, and warned of higher transportation burdens and the permanent loss of a long-standing community institution.
The board’s motion passed in roll-call vote and the board adjourned after taking the formal vote. Trustees scheduled boundary recommendations to be considered at the January 12 board meeting as part of implementation steps.
