OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Olympia School District must restart the process of closing two elementary schools after a court ruling Friday morning.
In December, the school board voted to open a 90-day review period into the decision to close and consolidate McKenney and Madison elementary schools.
Four district parents brought legal action against the district to bring the process to a halt, saying they had been deprived of "citizen involvement" in the school's decision, and that this scenario had not been previously publicly disclosed by the board or subject to a board-sponsored study regarding the closure.
On Friday, a judge agreed with the parents and ruled that the school board's December vote was invalid. The district will be required to restart the school closure process from the beginning. Previously, the school board could have decided to close the schools as soon as April 25.
Marissa Smith, one of the four people who brought action against the district and a parent of a Madison Elementary student, said they are "feeling a lot of relief" following the court ruling.
"We've all experienced significant stress since the board voted on Dec. 14 to start the process to close our children's school and the amount of confusion and anger and frustration that came along with that vote," she said, adding that they feel the board and district are now being held accountable for acting "in a transparent and fair way."
School district leadership and the school board are reviewing the ruling and "determining next steps," according to a prepared statement.
The district is just one of many in the state facing budget shortfalls after drops in enrollment and loss of funds provided to schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. A $3.5 million deficit prompted discussions about school closures.