WAUKESHA — The Waukesha School Board voted Wednesday night to close Bethesda, Hawthorne and Whittier elementary schools beginning in the 2026-27 school year.
The board approved the plan — E1 — on an 8-1 vote. The decision also moves the K-8 STEM program to Horning Middle School and shifts dual-language programming to Banting, Heyer and Lowell.
Watch: Waukesha school board votes on school closings
District leaders said they estimate the changes will reduce available classroom seats by 19% and save $3.2 million to $3.7 million annually.
District leaders said the changes are part of its long-range “Optimizing Our Future” initiative, which addresses declining enrollment, building capacity and an annual structural deficit projected between $3 million and $4 million.
The district’s long-range planning report shows enrollment peaked at more than 13,000 students in 2012-13 and has since fallen to about 10,500, with continued declines projected due to the birth rate.
Wednesday’s vote followed months of public debate and more than 30 community engagement sessions.
The district first introduced Plans A through D in the spring, then presented Plans E, F and G after parent feedback.
Administrators recommended Plan E at a meeting in late October, and again on Wednesday the board reviewed two revised versions — E1 and E2 — for the first time.
Both moved K-8 STEM to Horning. E1 closed Bethesda; E2 closed Lowell.
Some board members said E1 was the stronger option because Lowell is more centrally located and in newer condition, while Bethesda would require millions of dollars in future building repairs and additions.
Parents, students and teachers spoke for more than an hour before the vote, highlighting the dual-language program at Bethesda and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) program at Lowell.
Supporters of both schools said those programs could be disrupted under the selected plans.
“I have two sons at Lowell. One receives special education services; one does not. But they both benefit tremendously from the accommodations available,” one Lowell parent said.
“Those rooms are laid out in a way to promote the amazing culture and community we have for dual language,” a Bethesda parent said.
Several speakers grew emotional as they urged the board to slow down and take more time.
Teacher Jennifer Klem told the board, “I feel the district is rushing the process … Our children deserve thoughtful planning, not rushed closures.”
However, some board members said the district needed to act despite the difficulty of the decision.
“The district may not be in crisis today, but if we keep kicking the can down the road, we may find ourselves in one,” board member David Wadd said.
“Selling buildings provides one-time money, not a budget solution.”
The district will finalize new boundaries and transition plans through 2025 and 2026, with changes scheduled to take effect in the 2026-27 school year.
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