MIDWEST CITY — Two elementary schools in Midwest City-Del City Public Schools will close at the end of this school year.
The Mid-Del Board of Education on Monday approved the closure of Highland Park and Steed, two schools that even before the pandemic suffered declining enrollment, underutilized space and millions of dollars worth of backlogged maintenance.
Four board members voted in favor of the measure while one, Silvya Kirk, abstained.
Some of the few dozen families in attendance at Carl Albert High School were visibly emotional after the board approved the closure.
Mid-Del seventh-grader Iana Shaffer was in tears. She and her younger brother, Ian, have both attended Highland Park.
“It's like losing part of your life. It's like your childhood,” Iana said. “It's heartbreaking for all those kids who moved on. They loved the teachers. It's part of your home.”
Ian Shaffer, a third-grader, said it will be “difficult” to transfer to another elementary school next year. He held a sign throughout the meeting that read “Save My School.”
His father, David Shafer, said the family loves the teachers at Highland Park and hoped the school would stay open.
“It's tough,” Shafer said. “I went to this school. I want him (Ian) to finish and graduate.”
Area residents had hoped to keep their neighborhood schools open, but in the case of Highland Park and Steed, Mid-Dale “lost that luxury,” said board member LeRoy Porter.
The economic potential of the area is not what it once was. Keeping the two schools well-maintained and safe for students is now a struggle, he said.
“We've been discussing Highland Park and Steed for the last 10 years and we need to make a move,” Porter said.
Superintendent Rick Cobb said the school district could save $1.4 million a year by closing the two elementary schools.
Those funds, plus existing bond funds dedicated to Highland Park and Steed, could support renovations at other elementary schools, improve the student-to-school counselor ratio, and increase access to programs in the arts and STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The district also aims to increase pay for teachers and support staff.
Cobb said the consolidation will not result in larger elementary class sizes at the remaining Mid-Del schools.
“I think the recommendation I'm making tonight is the best option for most students,” Cobb said.
Enrollment well below capacity at both schools
Highland Park and Steed have been operating well below capacity for several years. Both have space for more than 700 students, but have about 360 children enrolled.
Highland Park, built in 1969, averaged 516 students in the five years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic. Built in 1955, Steed averaged 418 students from 2014-2019.
“It's emotional to close a school,” said board president Jimmy Nolen. “But, our priorities have to be to do the best we can with the resources we have for the students we have, and sometimes that means cutting staff.”
The district will begin the process of redrawing its enrollment zones this week. Cobb said the goal is to notify families by the end of January which school their children will be assigned to next year.
Teachers at Highland Park and Steed would learn their next assigned school by the end of February.
Students in Highland Park will likely attend Parkview, Epperly Heights or Townsend elementary schools next year. Steed's students could be split into Ridgecrest, Soldier Creek or Midwest City Elementary.
Mid-Del recommended closing four schools
The consolidation could have been even more drastic.
The Office of Education Quality and Accountability recommended the district close four schools and offered a list of six options. The small state agency contracted K-12 consulting firm Prismatic Services to conduct a performance review of the entire Mid-Del school district.
The company produced a 400-page report, which included recommendations to permanently close four elementary schools. Cobb said the district never thought about closing so many.
Mid-Del formed a committee in August of elementary parents, staff and principals, who reviewed the recommendations, enrollment trends and demographic data. The district hosted faculty meetings last month and two community forums in December, one in Highland Park and another in Steed.
Board member Ed Daniel said the condition of the two schools was of “great concern.”
“We need to be able to fund these schools, maintain these schools and maintain our district,” Daniel said. “We can't get past the financial aspect. We also want to make sure we have a safe environment for our students.”
Reporter Nuria Martinez-Keel covers K-12 and higher education across the state of Oklahoma. Do you have a story idea for Nuria? She can be reached at nmartinez-keel@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @NuriaMKeel. Support the work of Nuria and other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
