(La Porte, IN) - No decision was made last night on a proposal to close Lincoln Elementary School in La Porte. 

 

The school board voted to take a recommendation to close the school from Superintendent Dr. Sandra Wood under advisement.  A decision is expected at a special school board meeting scheduled on November 18th.

Wood is recommending the school be closed because of the district losing an average of 60 students annually over the past 10 years and need to close a spending gap caused by declining revenue stemming from lower student head counts.

 

To her knowledge, Wood said the amount of kindergarten students that came into the district this year was below 400 for the first time, which reflects a study projecting continued enrollment declines until 2030.

 

She blamed factors such as lower birth rates and competition for students from other school districts for the drop in students.

 

Wood said other school districts in the state are also struggling with declining enrollments for the season reasons.

 

About 100 people attended the meeting, which was moved to the high school to accommodate the anticipated larger crowd.

 

Members of the Lincoln Elementary School community spoke out against closing a school they described as having among the highest student test scores in the school corporation.  The school also provides access to services within walking distance in a neighborhood where transportation can be an issue at some households and more than 70 percent of students receive free or reduced lunch.

 

Free lunches are also provided during the summer. 

 

“Closing Lincoln School would disconnect families from their support systems they rely on,” said Lincoln School parent, Chelsie Timm.

Third grader Lilliana Holt told the school board she and her younger brother, Cameron, walk to school together most of the time and don’t want to ride a bus to another school.

 

“Please don’t take down my favorite school.  Thank you,” she said.

 

The proposal calls for Lincoln students to be redistricted to Hailmann, Riley and Indian Trail elementary schools beginning in the fall of 2025.