We urge the School Board to reject the proposal to close Hawthorne Elementary School. We recognize that the Board faces tough decisions, but we believe that closing Hawthorne and possibly other neighborhood schools in the future will lead to long-term costs that outweigh the small short-term financial benefits of closing schools.

Smaller schools offer crucial support to children with learning disabilities, behavioral challenges, and unsupportive home environments, research shows. School closures disrupt students' emotional and academic stability, which also impacts caregivers who often rely on their kids being able to walk or bike to and from school. Some studies show that school closures result in long-term disruptions in test scores and behavior. 

The facts:

    •    Hawthorne is academically thriving. Recent district data shows 89% of 2nd graders and 88% of 3rd graders are reading at or above grade level. State test scores meet or exceed district averages.

    •    The real renovation cost is $3.17 million— not the $4.8 million the district stated in public meetings. That’s a $1.6 million discrepancy, and only 13% of the needed repairs are urgent.

    •    Opportunity Zone funding is on the table. Hawthorne is located in a federally designated OZ, yet the district has not explored this as a path to renovation through private investment.

The result of a school closure -- overcrowded classrooms and temporary structures -- would negatively affect students, teachers, and administrators at other schools.

Closing a neighborhood school will not solve the district’s financial deficit. We the undersigned urge the School Board to vote “NO” on closing an elementary school.