The Robbinsdale Area School Board has voted to close three schools at the end of the 2025-26 school year as part of efforts to address a major budget shortfall facing the district. 

Schools slated to close:

• Robbinsdale Middle School

• Noble Elementary School

• Sonnesyn Elementary School

(Other schools on the closure list, like Lakeview and Neill, were ultimately kept open by board vote.) 

This decision follows months of debates, hundreds of community comments, and an hours-long board meeting where many parents, students and staff spoke passionately about the impact closures would have on families and neighborhoods. 

The board says the move is part of a broader plan to fix a roughly $20–21 million budget deficit — much of it tied to an accounting error that overstated available funds, along with years of declining enrollment and rising costs. The district is also in statutory operating debt, meaning its deficit exceeds a share of its annual expenses, triggering a required corrective plan to the state. 

Community reaction has been emotional. Some families expressed heartbreak over losing neighborhood schools and concerns about how closures will affect students’ routines, travel and sense of community. District leaders acknowledge the decision is difficult but say it’s necessary to stabilize finances and preserve educational quality in the long run. 

These closures are planned to take effect for the 2026-27 school year as part of the district’s financial recovery strategy.