StoryElimination of elementary grades from 279 Online program due to declining enrollment and financial concernsFebruary 12, 2025

ISD 279 eliminates elementary grades from online school

Meeting date: Feb 12, 2025

Published Oct 8, 2025

The ISD 279 School Board announced Tuesday it will eliminate elementary grades from its 279 Online program, reconfiguring the full-time online school to serve only students in grades 6-12 beginning this fall.

The decision affects 70 elementary students currently enrolled in kindergarten through fourth grade at 279 Online. The program has experienced declining enrollment since its peak of 901 students in 2021-22, dropping to 365 students as of late January. The online school currently operates at a $1.2 million deficit, according to district officials.

It's never an easy decision," said Brian Bass, assistant superintendent for equity and achievement, during the work session at Northview Middle School. "In the most general sense, it was a decline in student enrollment at the elementary level and then looking at the operational and financial impacts associated with this decline.

District officials said 35 of the 56 affected elementary families have already committed to enrolling in other district elementary schools. The remaining families are being assisted by the district's enrollment center in finding alternative educational options.

The school board also reviewed budget adjustments totaling $8.3 million in capital requests for fiscal year 2026. The proposed budget includes funding for transportation contract negotiations, technology upgrades, and support for the district's new elementary school. Board members are scheduled to vote on the budget proposals at their February 25 meeting.

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Summary

The ISD 279 School Board held a work session at Northview Middle School on February 11, 2025, featuring a school presentation, budget review for fiscal year 2026, and an announcement about reconfiguring 279 Online school. The meeting covered budget adjustments totaling $8.3 million in capital requests, a $1.2 million deficit in the online program, and the decision to eliminate elementary grades (K-4) from 279 Online while maintaining grades 6-12.