Last school year, the Salem-Keizer School District moved from Oregon’s second-largest school district to its third-largest. The Beaverton School District took second, with both districts still thousands of students smaller than Portland Public Schools. But all three districts have seen declining enrollment over the past several years.

In all three districts, a smaller student body means fewer schools are necessary. Beaverton closed an elementary school at the end of this past school year. Portland has announced plans to close “up to 10” schools.

Friday, Salem-Keizer announced a similar plan: to close up to eight elementary schools before the 2027-2028 school year begins.

During a media briefing, superintendent Andrea Castañeda said the decision is not a financial one.

“This hard act of talking about school closures is not about saving money, but it is about protecting and preserving the conditions for teaching and learning,” Castañeda said Friday.

The closures will be concentrated in elementary schools. Low birth rates in the area mean fewer kindergarteners are enrolling in the district.

Enrollment in Salem-Keizer has dropped by more than 5,000 students since 2019, with district projections continuing to decline for the next several years.

“We actually no longer need to operate 65 school sites,” Castañeda said.

District officials say a list of schools up for closure will be out in October, with the school board making the final decision in December. After that, the district plans to spend the rest of next school year preparing families and staff for the transition, from transportation planning for families to helping students learn about their new school mascots.

Castañeda and district chief operations officer Paul Odenthal emphasized that there is no list of schools yet. First, the board will create and approve a school closure policy to guide the process.

Along the way, there will be opportunities for students, teachers, and community members to share their thoughts. An Aug. 11 school board meeting will be the first opportunity for that, though the school board will discuss the closure process at a board retreat on Aug. 8.

Salem-Keizer has closed schools before. Over 10 years ago, the district closed five elementary schools.

“It’s been a while since our communities have had this experience, and even when it is fresh on your mind, it’s still a really important experience to treat with care,” Castañeda said.

Odenthal said Friday’s announcement was a “first step” as the district figures out how to serve a smaller number of students. That might mean other changes in the future, aligned with the district’s long-range facilities plan, which was released earlier this year.

One of the recommendations in the plan is to start working on a bond program to upgrade school facilities. While it may seem counterintuitive to have conversations about renovating schools as the district considers closing some, Odenthal said there is still a need to make improvements.

“The future bond won’t be about expanding and creating more seats within the school district,” he said. “It’ll be about improving the schools we have and increasing what we’re able to offer to our students within the district.”

In making its decisions, the district may consider the condition of the building, enrollment and utilization of the building, access and transportation, and how the school supports the community in the area. District officials say they don’t intend to lay off many staff in these closures, but that staff from closing schools may move with their students.

Speaking to Salem-Keizer students, Castañeda said as things change, what matters is “how we show up to it.”

“I believe in you and your ability to navigate change and to do hard things, and there are going to be adults around in your school who are going to be changing with you and having the same experience right alongside you,” she said.

“You will not be left alone in any portion of what might happen next.”

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/07/31/salem-keizer-close-elementary-schools-2027-2028/