opinion

Two years ago, five North Side Minneapolis public schools were closed as part of a plan to “right-size’’ the district and improve achievement. The proposed closings made some parents so upset that they sought court action to save their schools. Now some of those same difficult decisions must be made in another part of the city.

And although shutting down a school is painful, in some circumstances it’s the right choice. At its peak enrollment, the Minneapolis schools had 50,000 students; soon the district will serve about 30,000. Officials must find significant cost savings. The district is facing a $28 million budget deficit for 2009-10, so even though the proposed school closings and other changes would cause short-term distress, those most affected by the next round of changes should consider the long-term success of the entire district.
That’s why Minneapolis residents should support the goals of the restructuring plan proposed this week by Superintendent Bill Green. He recommended closing three elementary school buildings and a middle school. Five magnet schools would be cut and school boundaries would be redrawn this summer. Changes outlined in the plan could affect up to one-third of the district’s population, or about 10,000 students.

Slated for closure are elementary schools Pratt, Longfellow and Northrop, as well as Folwell Middle School. Several magnet programs that currently serve students from throughout the district would become community schools and draw from a smaller geographic area. That move would reduce transportation expenses — a sensible cost-cutting measure in a district that now buses more than 70 percent of its students.

Understandably, some families are unhappy that their schools are targeted. They need to realize that the restructuring could save the district an estimated $7.5 million to $8.5 million annually, which translates to about 100 teaching positions. Previous Minneapolis school boards and administrations failed to act when confronted by the same enrollment and budget trends. That’s put even more pressure on the current board and administration to move faster and make deeper cuts.

School leaders are following the advice of a McKinsey and Company Inc. assessment of district operations. Among the recommendations: Increase academic rigor to prepare all students for college; set clear expectations for staff, improve leadership and instructional skills for principals and teachers, and hold schools accountable for results. The report also suggests adopting a “new mindset” toward competing programs by working with successful charters and other alternative schools, perhaps even sharing services and facilities.

There is still time to work out the fine points of the restructuring. School board members expect to vote on the plan on May 26. Between now and then a series of town hall meetings will be held, and community members from all over the city should participate. That input will help school leaders make the best possible choices.

Yet even if some elements of the proposal change, efforts to streamline and improve the district must proceed. As painful as it is to close buildings and disrupt lives, a major restructuring of the Minneapolis schools is necessary to build stronger academic programs for all of the city’s students.