'Schools that once had 800 kids, have 300,' Olathe to share school consolidation plan September 3

OLATHE, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas, including Olathe and Lenexa. Share your story idea with Olivia.

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The Olathe School District is moving closer to deciding which schools could close or consolidate. The possibility of school closures in Olathe is not new; the district has been discussing declining enrollment for more than a year.

This month they announced that at the September 3 board meeting, families will know which schools will be affected.

The recommendations are coming from a task force the district put together earlier this year to study their options and create a plan for school consolidation.

Declining enrollment is the biggest factor at play. From 2021 to 2025, Olathe's enrollment dropped by 1,379 students. The district says lower birth rates and rising home prices are contributing to fewer students, while the district also faces budget pressures, including the cost of special education.

I’ve been closely following the impacts those issues are having in Johnson County public schools as part of my Shifting Education series. When I interviewed superintendent Brent Yeager in April, he shared more on why they would need to close schools.

KSHB

“We have a lot of space in our elementary schools. We have schools that once had 800 kids that now have 300 kids. So to be fiscally responsible, we know that we need to reduce our footprint and align the number of schools for the number of students that we have now, but also looking forward over the next 5,10 years, making sure that we get in a spot where we're going to be good for the long term,” said Dr. Brent Yeager, Olathe Schools Superintendent.

I’ll continue to follow changes in Olathe schools, as well as all others in Johnson County.
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