The Robbinsdale Area Schools Board voted Tuesday to direct administration to begin implementing a comprehensive restructuring plan that would consolidate the district into one high school and significantly reduce the number of elementary and middle schools.

The decision came after a detailed presentation from the Vision 2030 team, a 37-member community advisory group that spent eight months analyzing district data and developing recommendations. The team's plan calls for creating a single high school serving 2,800-2,900 students, reducing elementary schools to six to nine buildings, and implementing district-wide arts and innovation programming.

The restructuring aims to address the district's $21 million deficit and statutory operating debt status while improving educational opportunities. According to the vision team's analysis, the district currently operates more buildings than needed, with half having utilization rates below 60 percent. The team estimates annual savings of several million dollars through facility consolidation.

The plan requires voter approval of a bond referendum to fund facility improvements and construction. Vision team member Willie Howard emphasized the urgency, stating the district faces "pressing financial problems" that demand immediate action. The team's recommendations also include maintaining Spanish immersion programming while eliminating standalone magnet schools in favor of district-wide specialized programming.

The board must submit a statutory operating debt plan to the Minnesota Department of Education by January 31, 2026. Administration will present facility closure recommendations by November 24, with a public hearing scheduled for December 8. The full implementation timeline extends through 2030, with initial changes beginning in the 2026-27 school year.