In response to years of falling enrollment and multimillion-dollar budget deficits, the Minneapolis school board has approved a downsizing plan that will close four schools and reduce busing within the district. It is projected to save millions of dollars.
One key feature is the elimination of the citywide school choice system, which developed over decades in response to federal and state desegregation laws. About 20 percent of students in the 32,000-student district will be affected by the change. The district spends $33 million a year on transportation.
Under the new plan, the city will be divided into three attendance zones, which the district estimates will save up to $8.2 million yearly in transportation costs, the equivalent of about 100 teaching jobs.
