Simplified: Sioux Falls School Board members on Monday voted unanimously – albeit solemnly – to close Renberg Elementary School at the end of the 2026-27 school year.
Why it matters
- Renberg's enrollment has dropped significantly over the last decade as students shifted, first to Hawthorne Elementary in a 2022 redistricting, and then to the new Marcella LeBeau Elementary in 2025. Enrollment went from nearly 200 kids in 2018 to just 87 kids today.
- Conversations about closing Renberg started last fall, at which point the school board voted to keep it open for another year to give time for more community engagement and data collection. The closure will save the district between $500,000 and $700,000 annually.
- Ultimately, further enrollment growth is not likely in the Renberg area. Assistant Superintendent Dan Conrad said future development in that area isn't part of the City of Sioux Falls' 2050 plan.
"We sometimes have to vote with our heads and not our hearts," Board Member Gail Swenson said. "This was a decision of the head, not the heart ... I think all of our hearts are with Renberg. It's a great place."
What happens next?
The closure means current students will split between Laura B. Anderson and Marcella LeBeau Elementary Schools, and the district is working with staff to ensure they can find a new place as well.
Current Renberg families will also be able to apply for open enrollment when the annual application opens Dec. 1.
