Board votes again on closing Midland school; it stays open for now

What happened

On October 14, 2026, a motion to close Midland Elementary at the end of the 2026-27 school year failed 1-5. In February 2026, a vote to keep Midland open tied 3-3, which left it open for 2026-27. Midland families spoke at both meetings and asked the board to keep the school.

Why it matters to families

Midland is a very small school, with about 14 students in the last federal count. The superintendent said in September that two schools are below 15 students. If Midland closes, its students would have to go to school somewhere else, likely with long bus rides. Closing has now come up twice in one year, so it could come up again.

The evidence

The approved October 14, 2026 minutes record the closure motion and the roll call (Effling yes; Roghair, Bachand, VanderMay, Williams and Block no). The February 9, 2026 minutes record the 3-3 vote on keeping Midland open in 2026-27, and the September 9 minutes record the comment that two schools are below 15 students.

The source