Boulder Valley School District parents sue over school closures, challenging how the plan took shape

Parents of children at three Boulder Valley School District elementary schools slated to close sued the school board this week, alleging it made key decisions about the closure process without the public notice and discussion required by Colorado’s Open Meetings Law.

Official response and confirmed impact

The lawsuit, filed Sept.

It challenges the board’s Sept.

22 approval of the Resilient Schools plan, which closes Douglass, Flatirons, Mesa and Birch elementary schools, relocates two focus schools and changes the grades served at two others, affecting more than a thousand students.

The changes are scheduled to take effect in fall 2027.

The parents argue that the board abandoned a process designed to warn school communities about possible closures and involve them in developing solutions, without publicly discussing or approving the change.

District leaders have said the restructuring is necessary to use resources more efficiently as enrollment declines.

Incident under investigation

30 in Boulder County District Court, was brought by Evan Harvie, a parent at Douglass Elementary; Katharine Rosenthal, a parent at Flatirons Elementary; and Theresa Schultz, a parent at Mesa Elementary.