The trustees and parents were emotional when it came down to the vote. Board Vice President Brian Wheatley and trustee Nicole Gribstad voted no.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are no longer financially affected by declining enrollment because funding is basic aid funded,\u201d Wheatley said. \u201cSan Jose Unified is a unicorn.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SanJose-Unified-School-2--1024x768.jpeg\")
San Jose Unified School District voted 3-2 Thursday to close five schools next school year. Photo by Lorraine Gabbert.<\/p>\n
But it didn\u2019t matter because trustees Carla Collins, Jose Maga\u00f1a and Teresa Castellanos voted yes.<\/p>\n
Parents held out hope Castellanos would be the swing vote, but she was concerned students were being denied staffing and resources.<\/p>\n
According to the district, the number of students at a school correlates with its number of teachers and staff, including counselors \u2014 and that impacts the types of programs it can offer, including science, art and music. Of the district\u2019s 26 elementary schools, 12 have fewer than 350 students, while the largest has more than 800.<\/p>\n
All five of the schools chosen for closure are Title I schools which serve a high percentage of low-income students. In addition, the majority of these children are students of color.<\/p>\n
About 50 parents got up to speak, including \u200b\u200bKara Tuohy who asked the board to not shutter the schools.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur students and families deserve more than a rushed solution,\u201d she told the board members. \u201cThey deserve a thoughtful, transparent process that prioritizes equity, safety and long-term success. The impacts of this decision will be felt for years, especially by the most vulnerable students.\u201d<\/p>\n
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan\u2019s wife, Silvia Scandar Mahan, also spoke on her husband\u2019s behalf.<\/p>\n
\u201cStrong school communities do not happen overnight. They are built over many years through the commitment of teachers, principals, parents, and students working together,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n
Parents have been passionately fighting the school closures<\/a>, protesting before meetings<\/a> and speaking out during public comment.<\/p>\n Superintendent Nancy Albarr\u00e1n told the parents delaying the decision limits opportunities, stretches resources and makes it harder to deliver an excellent education.<\/p>\n \u201cFor many people in the room this process is painful. Our enrollment has significantly declined and that has an impact on our elementary schools,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n But for those in attendance her words fell flat.<\/p>\n A coalition of parents filed a complaint with the district Wednesday challenging the closures, consolidations and relocations of elementary schools, according to a letter reviewed by San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n The complaint alleges the district\u2019s closure process violates state and federal equity protections, was developed through a process that structurally excluded the most vulnerable student populations and creates additional safety issues by forcing students as young as 5 to walk up to 60 minutes to school.<\/p>\n If not adequately addressed, the parents plan to appeal to the California Department of Education.<\/p>\n David Friedlander, who organized Wednesday\u2019s rally and sent the complaint, said he feels deeply disappointed, but not surprised.<\/p>\n \u201cThe district and board clearly haven\u2019t listened or been engaged with the community,\u201d he told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cThe community is going to continue to fight.\u201d<\/p>\n Parents claim the district admitted it had stopped marketing enrollment to families as it relies on property taxes for revenue rather than state funding based on attendance.<\/p>\n Student enrollment has dropped by more than 6,000 students since the 2017-18 school year. SJUSD has approximately 25,000 students, from transitional kindergarten through grade 12, across its 41 schools.<\/p>\n Other local school districts have closed campuses in recent years due to dropping enrollment. That includes three in the Franklin-McKinley School District<\/a> in 2025, three in the Berryessa Union School District<\/a> and six in the Alum Rock Union School District<\/a> in 2024.<\/p>\n Crestfallen parent Jennifer DePuy felt lost.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel like this had to happen. They didn\u2019t take the safety of our children truly into consideration. We have the resources,\u201d\u00a0 she told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cWe could provide these extra educational opportunities and programs the smaller schools are looking for by reallocating resources.\u201d<\/p>\n