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- calendar_today October 27, 2026
Elementary School Closure Announced for Tigard-Tualatin School District
The Tigard-Tualatin School District (TTSD) in Oregon has confirmed that it will close one elementary school following a recent school board meeting. The closure, scheduled for the 2028-29 school year, is part of a broader effort from the district to address declining enrollment and underused facilities.
School Board Meeting Finalizes Plan
The decision was finalized during a board meeting on Monday night. Superintendent Dr. Iton Udosenata explained that the board has identified which school will close but will not make the announcement until the next board meeting on November 9. At that time, TTSD will provide more details, including which elementary school will be affected and information about changes to district boundaries.
"Right now, our primary concern is delivering this news in a thoughtful, caring way to the staff, students, and families directly impacted," Dr. Udosenata stated. He added that the district intends to communicate the news directly to those affected before sharing details publicly.
Student Enrollment Decline Drives Decisions
The closure comes amid enrollment declines across many school districts in the state. TTSD officials have attributed their own enrollment drop to lower birth rates in recent years. The drop in student numbers has made the continued operation of all school buildings inefficient.
"Underutilized schools can create challenges for staff and limit resources for students," School Board Chair David Jaimes explained. "Balancing enrollment will address some of those challenges and improve our students’ experience in our schools." The district aims to redistribute enrollments to ensure each school is adequately resourced.
District Boundary Changes on the Horizon
Alongside the elementary school closure, the district will implement boundary changes intended to balance enrollment and make the best use of school facilities. These adjustments are designed to spread students more evenly across the district, maximizing available educational resources and staffing.
Art Rutkin Elementary and Recent Construction
The district previously anticipated significant student growth in the River Terrace and Kingston Terrace neighborhoods, leading to the construction of Art Rutkin Elementary School funded by a 2016 voter-approved bond. While projected growth has slowed—partially due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related changes in the housing market—the school was completed in 2023.
Parent Reactions and Upcoming Announcements
Some parents have already expressed concerns and pushed back about the district’s proposed changes, including a tentative plan to expand the two-way immersion program at Metzger Elementary in Tigard, which could necessitate the transfer of some students.
The district will provide further details on which school will close and the boundary changes at the November 9 school board meeting. Afterwards, school officials plan to present support resources to assist impacted community members through the transition.
Source: koin.com.
