Minneapolis Public Schools — Transcript
Monday, October 12, 2026
School Transformation Process and Proposed School Closures
Board Governance, Transparency, and Community Engagement
Equity and Student Experience in MPS
Systemic Challenges and Funding
Votes (2)
Motion to amend the agenda to add a resolution regarding school closures
Dissent: Director Norville, Director Ellison, Director Emrick opposed the motion to add the resolution to the agenda, citing concerns about process and collaboration.
Moved by Director Callahan [00:27:14] · Seconded by Unknown [00:27:32]
Director Callahan moved to add a resolution requiring a comprehensive enrollment and facilities plan before final school closure decisions. This motion sparked extensive debate about board procedure, transparency, and the collaborative nature of decision-making. Supporters argued for immediate action and greater community input, while opponents expressed concerns about process violations, lack of collaboration in drafting the resolution, and the need for more discussion time before taking action.
Approval of the Amended Agenda
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [00:49:09] · Seconded by Unknown [00:49:15]
Following the successful motion to add the resolution to the agenda, the board moved to approve the newly amended agenda. There was no further discussion on this specific motion, indicating general agreement to proceed with the agenda as now constituted.
Notable Quotes (6)
I must recommend now that the school board does not move forward with any school closures or mergers at this time. However, instead of closures, I recommend that we move forward with the parts of our proposal that focus on enrollment growth, expanding early childhood programs refining school choice policies, and other areas to use resources differently like school start time changes.
We did not begin this process because we wanted to close schools. We began this process Because we know not every child in MPS is receiving the same education. We know that the opportunities available to a student can depend on which school they attend. That is why we started this work.
My fight was to not. Have any school closures during the 2728. My fight was to make sure that dollars that are invested in our North Side schools remain in our North Side schools. My fight was for us to make sure that community voices are at the table when decisions are being made and not decisions being made for them.
The process we decided on as a board was discussion tonight not to bring any resolutions, not to have any voting about anything. And over the weekend and last week I found out that 2 of my colleagues put together a resolution without any input from the rest of us and sent that resolution to the news without telling us.
Although we believe this should be on the agenda to begin with But we now urge everyone on this board to support the democratic process and vote yes to add this item to the agenda.
I'm not ready to put any resolution on the agenda this evening because we have not yet had the opportunity to complete our engagement and public board discussion about how we should move forward.
Ordinances & Resolutions (5)
District-wide initiative to reorganize schools, address equity, enrollment, and financial challenges.
Previous major school and boundary changes in the district, often cited for its controversial implementation and impact.
Proposed resolution to halt immediate school closures and mandate a more thorough planning process.
Rules for public participation during board meetings.
State ballot initiative to update Minnesota's constitution for increased school funding.