Boundary & Enrollment Realignment Process 2026-27

What's Next?

October 21, 2026: Information Session #4: Implications for Doing Nothing, 12 p.m.

October 28, 2026: Information Session #5: Decision Making Process, 12 p.m.

Like many districts around the country, Lake Washington School District is experiencing shifts in student enrollment due to demographic changes, declining birth rates, and evolving housing patterns. These changes are creating misalignment between where students live, the capacity of school facilities, and how district resources are distributed across schools. 
 
The district must evaluate how to best align school boundaries, facility capacity, and program delivery to ensure equitable access to high-quality educational opportunities while responsibly stewarding public resources and planning for long-term enrollment trends.
 
At the August 17, 2026 school board study session, Superintendent Dr. Jon Holmen and team shared the scope, timeline and rationale for conducting a comprehensive review of school enrollment and capacity, school attendance boundaries, highly capable program placement, reliance on portable classrooms, and the potential consolidation or closure of one or more schools during the 2026-27 school year. Any approved changes are expected to take effect in September 2028. This extended implementation period will provide time for community engagement, decision-making, transition planning, staffing, facility preparation and support for affected students and families.

Starting this fall, LWSD will evaluate a range of strategies before determining whether school consolidation or closure should advance for further consideration. Strategies may be used independently or in combination and may include:

• Attendance boundary adjustments. Redistribute enrollment among schools while considering proximity, feeder patterns, walkability, transportation, diversity, and long-term stability.
• School consolidation or closure. Combine school communities or discontinue operation of a school when other strategies would not adequately address sustained excess capacity or long-term system needs.
• Repurposing or consolidating space. Use available space for district programs, services, partnerships or other educational purposes when doing so advances system needs.
• Specialized program placement. Evaluate locations and configurations that provide program continuity, appropriate facilities, operational stability, and access for students and families.
• Portable classroom reduction or relocation. Remove or relocate portables where permanent capacity can appropriately accommodate students and programs. 

We wanted to ensure that our staff, families, students and community are aware of the work that will begin on this starting this fall and throughout the 2026-27 school year with implementation as soon as September 2028. Please note that some program placement changes will be evaluated through standard processes to ensure program stability. For program changes occurring in the 2027-28 school year, the district will follow standard processes and communication protocols. We will provide updates throughout the process, including many opportunities for community engagement and feedback.