School Board holds October meeting in La Sal while considering school closure
Reported bySan Juan Record
Read the full story at San Juan RecordAI-assisted summary
The San Juan School Board met in La Sal on October 13 as the district studies whether to close La Sal Elementary, which serves kindergarten through second grade. Older students from the community are already bused about 40 miles to Monticello. The board approved the closure study at its September 8 meeting. Enrollment has ranged from five to 15 students over a decade, and was six, five and seven students in the last three years. The district has notified affected La Sal and Monticello Elementary parents. A public hearing is set for November 10 in La Sal, with a vote planned for December 15. Board members stressed that the October presentation was informational and no decision was made.
District staff presented financial data. Averaged over six years, per-pupil spending at La Sal was about $50,260, second only to Navajo Mountain High at $57,895. Monticello Elementary was lowest at about $11,000. A district estimate put capital needs at La Sal at $567,000, including $200,000 for asphalt and $120,000 for a roof. Staff said bids could produce firm prices.
About a dozen residents spoke and 10 more sent comments opposing closure. They raised concerns about long bus rides for young children, winter weather, and risks for medically fragile or disabled students. Residents also argued that the school's roughly $380,000 operating cost is a small share of district spending, and that deferred maintenance created the repair backlog. They noted the building hosts community events.
The board also approved staff housing repairs in Montezuma Creek and several policy updates, and reviewed construction projects and test score gains.
Why it matters
A possible closure would change where the youngest students in La Sal attend school and how far they travel, and it would affect a building residents use for community events. The case shows how districts weigh per-pupil costs and repair needs against local access in remote areas.
- School closures
- Enrollment decline
- Public comment
- Transportation and bus routes
- Building repairs
- Board vote
Written with AI from the publisher's article and may contain errors. The original reporting is the authoritative source.
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- How should a district weigh per-pupil costs and repair estimates against travel time and community access when deciding whether to close a small rural school?
- What information would help families and board members compare the cost of repairs with the cost of busing young children to another town?
- What alternatives to closure, such as grants or changes in grade levels, should the board consider before the December vote?
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