Olympia School District families now have a date to circle: Nov. 12, 2026, when the Board of Directors is scheduled to vote on whether to close schools.

Superintendent Patrick Murphy presented the formal timeline at a board work session on Thursday, Aug. 6, The Olympian reported. The plan calls for public hearings this fall before the board takes its vote.

Murphy has said he will name specific schools targeted for closure in mid-September. Until then, families do not know which campuses are on the list. The district operates 21 schools, including 11 elementary buildings.

The closure push stems from declining enrollment and buildings running well below capacity. Murphy first told the board on July 16 that elementary schools needed to close, though he named no specific campuses at that time. The board held a follow-up work session on July 30 at City Hall, as we reported July 28.

Murphy has also proposed putting a bond measure before voters on Feb. 9, 2027, tying new construction or renovation funding to the consolidation plan.

The financial squeeze driving the proposal is well documented. In a June 2026 message to the community, Murphy said, "While we appreciate the investments the (Washington) Legislature has made over the last several years, those investments have not kept pace with the actual costs of operating schools." The district's 2026-27 budget, reported by The Jolt, shows a beginning general fund balance of $7.69 million and an ending balance of $8.41 million. The budget document warns that as long as enrollment declines and costs outpace revenue, the district will face hard choices about programs, services and staffing.

Families will get their first chance to weigh in at the fall public hearings, though the district has not yet announced specific dates or locations. Murphy is expected to name which schools face closure in mid-September.