Mid-Del School District Considers Closing Two Elementary Schools After Enrollment Drop

The Mid-Del School District is considering closing two elementary schools: Highland Park Elementary School and Steed Elementary School.

The board of education is expected to decide to close one, both, or neither of the schools at its December 13 meeting.

A report compiled by Prismatic Services, an educational consulting firm, recommended the district close four or more of its 15 elementary schools.

Although the firm recommended six schools for possible closure, MDPS spokeswoman Stacey Boyer said the district is only considering Highland Park and Steed elementary schools.

District staff will hold an informational meeting on Thursday at Steed Elementary School for parents and community members. 

A similar meeting will be held next week at Highland Park, according to an MDPS spokesperson.

The firm's recommendation is, in part, based in a recent drop in enrollment and an excess of classroom space for elementary students. Click here to read the full report.

MDPS used only about 52% of its student classroom capacity in the 2018-19 school year, according to the report. 

Student enrollment at MDPS has declined for the past five years. Enrollment also plunged by 22.3% due to COVID-19. 

“We have students going to school in buildings that were built in the 50s, and we have empty classrooms in schools that were built in this decade,” Superintendent Rick Cobb said during a July board meeting. “We need to look at how we can have more of our students in our best classroom space, I think that’s important.” 

The report included a description of each of the six schools recommended for closure. Prismatic said Steed Elementary “is perhaps the most ideally suited as a gift to Midwest City for use as a community center,” because the city owns the park adjacent to the school. 

The district declined to comment on the upcoming vote on Tuesday. Boyer said MDPS administrators are waiting until after the public meetings at both schools.