Sonoma, California, August 22, 2025

News Summary

The Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board has voted to close Flowery Elementary School at the end of the academic year due to declining enrollment and financial issues. This decision, made with a 4-1 vote, marks the third school closure in the district amid ongoing budget challenges. Community advocates have raised concerns about the implications for diverse students and the need for thorough assessments before proceeding with the closure.

Sonoma, California – Flowery Elementary School to Close After Board Vote

The Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees has decided to close Flowery Elementary School at the conclusion of the 2025-26 academic year. The board reached this resolution during a regular meeting, with a decisive 4-1 vote in favor of the closure. Board President Catarina Landry, along with trustees David Bell, Anne Ching, and Jason Lehman, supported the motion, while Gerardo Guzman voted against it.

The closure is primarily attributed to the district’s declining enrollment and ongoing financial difficulties. Flowery Elementary, despite having the highest enrollment among the district’s elementary schools at 363 students, also has the lowest capacity of 440 students. In addition, the school requires significant physical upgrades, further complicating the district’s budget constraints. This marks the third school closure within the district, a trend prompted by budgetary shortfalls and decreasing student enrollment.

In 2022, the Sonoma Valley Unified School District initiated a consolidation and closure plan aimed at addressing these persistent issues, previously leading to the closures of Dunbar Elementary School and Adele Harrison Middle School. The decision to close Flowery was not without public dissent, however, highlighting its role in serving a diverse student population and its importance to the Springs community.

Community advocates, including representatives from local organizations, expressed their concerns during the meeting. Some have suggested delaying the closure to conduct a comprehensive equity assessment to evaluate the potential adverse effects on vulnerable families arising from the closure. Guzman, who opposed the closure, also raised concerns regarding the lack of community engagement in the decision-making process and emphasized the need for a more thorough review of its implications.

Data from the district shows that out of 1,254 K-5 students currently enrolled, the schools have a collective capacity of 1,999 students, resulting in a utilization rate of 62.7%. Following Flowery’s closure, the remaining schools will accommodate a total capacity of 1,559 K-5 students, raising the utilization to 80.4%.

Financial forecasts indicate that the district could face a deficit of $2.98 million for the 2024-25 school year, with projections suggesting ongoing fiscal struggles in the years to come. To mitigate these financial challenges, the board has also initiated plans to eliminate 40 classified employee positions and 14 certificated positions, which are expected to save approximately $2.91 million.

The resolution passed by the board orders the staff to explore options for relocating Flowery’s dual immersion program and to reorganize grade levels among the remaining schools. Potential relocation candidates include El Verano Elementary School or Sassarini Elementary School. The decisions regarding school closures and program relocations will be subject to the development of a transition plan, boundary adjustments, and compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

The district has experienced a significant decline in K-12 enrollment over the years, with a drop of 39.4% from 1999 to 2025 and projections indicating further decline in the future. As the Sonoma Valley Unified School District navigates these challenging times, the impacts of such closures remain a pivotal topic in the community.

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Additional Resources

• Press Democrat: Sonoma Valley Elementary School Closure
• Sonoma News: Flowery Elementary School Closure
• Sonoma Sun: Trustees Reevaluate School Closures
• Sonoma County Gazette: Bilingual School Closure Vote
• Sonoma News: Overview of Sonoma School Closures
• Wikipedia: School Closure
• Google Search: Sonoma Valley School Closure
• Google Scholar: Sonoma Valley School Closure
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Sonoma Valley
• Google News: Sonoma Valley School Closure

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