Attorney General Bonta Announces Statewide Guidance on School Closures to Ensure Equitable Access in Education and Prevent Systemic Discrimination in Schools

The Guidance on School Closures in California guards against discrimination and supports equal partnership from school communities

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced today statewide guidance on school districts’ legal obligations and best practices when considering school closures, including mergers, and consolidations. School districts that follow the legal mandates and best practices described in the Guidance Regarding Laws Governing School Closures and Best Practices for Implementation in California (Guidance) will take a step towards providing equal educational opportunity to all students, and begin to remedy the continuing harms of segregation. The Guidance also provides best practices to improve community trust and parent engagement and reduce a district’s legal risk before, during, and after the closure selection process. School superintendents and members of school boards throughout California received the Guidance today.

"Our 5.8 million public school students in California deserve an equitable and high-quality education. The statewide guidance issued today presents clear standards and procedures on how school districts should determine school closures, mergers, and consolidations to meet their legal requirements and to establish a mindful community engagement process with local school communities," said Attorney General Bonta. “We must proactively mitigate harm and ensure equity in our school system to help navigate this difficult process. I am committed to working with our schools and school board leaders to achieve successful outcomes for all our students."

As some school districts in California experience declining enrollment, communities are faced with the prospect of school closures, including mergers, and consolidations. For families, students, and staff, losing a beloved neighborhood school can upend livelihoods, and cause educational disruption and emotional distress. Students may have difficulty transitioning to a new school community, have to travel farther distances, or experience an increase in transit costs and time, exacerbating barriers to an equal education. These impacts are serious and can cause educational harm to students and their families.

Under AB 1912, enacted in September 2022, financially distressed school districts are mandated to engage the community before closing schools. Deep community engagement is the best practice for all school districts, as it pays dividends beyond school closures. Increased parent and student engagement lead to better academic achievement and attendance, which in California leads to more funding for schools and the decreased likelihood of future school closures. Under AB 1912, a financially distressed school district must also conduct an equity impact assessment before school closures, mergers, or consolidations and provide the public with the set of metrics or criteria proposed for closure decisions so that the public can provide input. Additionally, existing California civil rights laws impose mandates for all school districts in California considering closures. The Guidance issued today explains these legal mandates and offers best practices for all school districts to take before implementing school closures to protect California's students and communities from inequality and injustice.

 You can read a copy of the guidance here.