School Consolidation

The Board met on October 16th to discuss the initial proposal and review the community feedback received to date. Specifically, the Board acknowledged feedback that the original plan:

• Delayed what many believe is an inevitable decision regarding the closure of an elementary school.
• Did not do enough to address the anticipated $4 million budget shortfall.
• Did not sufficiently address the long-term trends of reduced elementary enrollment district-wide.

In response, the Board requested a revised proposal be drafted. This revised plan includes the closure of an elementary school, in addition to the previously proposed closure of Cheldelin Middle School.

The revised recommendation for school consolidation was published on October 22, 2025.

The recommendation for school consolidation was published as part of the board packet for the September 11, 2025, meeting.

The School Consolidation: Revised Proposal Community Feedback Report was published on October 29, 2025.

The CSD School Consolidation Community Engagement Report was published as part of the board packet for the October 16, 2025, meeting.

Information in this report is from feedback collected at community listening sessions in September and October 2025, public comment at school board meetings, and direct communications to the school board.

The Stoplight Report was published as part of the board packet for the October 16, 2025, meeting.

Information in this report is from feedback collected at community listening sessions in September and October 2025, public comment at school board meetings, and direct communications to the school board.

Since late August, we’ve provided weekly updates to maintain a regular and predictable flow of information. These updates included opportunities for input, shared the weekly FAQ, offered important points of clarification, and outlined potential and actual decisions.

The School Board has now finalized its decision regarding school consolidation. We recognize that this decision marks a significant change for our community. As we move into the next phase of school consolidation, our communication pattern will shift. Regular updates will transition to a monthly schedule, with periodic updates in between as necessary to share time-sensitive or critical information. 

Next Steps

The next phase of work focuses on implementing the consolidation decision and ensuring a smooth transition for all students and staff. Over the next month, two primary streams of work will be underway:

School Transitions

The Student Growth and Experience Department will focus on preparing students, staff, and families for the future structure:

• Creating Transition Committees with staff at Letitia Carson, Cheldelin, and Linus Pauling to manage the transition process.
• Working with staff, students, and families on Legacy Planning to honor the history of the closing buildings.
• Increasing counseling supports for students affected by the transition.

Innovation Team

This team is currently focused on re-envisioning education models and recommending changes to our current system. This model breaks up programming into specific grade bands:

• Grades K-4: A self-contained classroom where one teacher covers core subjects, focusing on strong foundational skills and nurturing the whole child in a stable environment. Students continue to receive specials like PE, music, art, and library. 
• Grades 5-6: A transitional model that bridges elementary and middle school by introducing subject specialists, greater independence, and opportunities for electives.
• Grades 7-8: A junior high model where students engage with specialized teachers in each subject to deepen academic rigor and exploration.
• Grades 9-12: Continuing the comprehensive high school model with subject specialization, pathways, and specialized coursework.

Over the next month, the Innovation Team will focus on the following:

• Portrait of a Graduate: Defining the key skills, characteristics, and competencies we want every student to have by the end of their K-12 experience.
• Electives/Specials and Structures: Planning how elective courses (like art, music, STEAM, PE) are organized and scheduled across grade levels.
• Mock Schedules: Developing sample daily and weekly schedules detailing core classes, electives, and support services. We will review all work schedules to ensure they are consistent with the requirements in both our staff contracts.
• Athletics and Music Ensembles for 5/6 and 7/8: Outlining ideas on program offerings and structures for these specific grade bands.
• Trimester or Semester: Comparing scheduling models and how they affect grading cycles and elective rotation.

District Office Staff will also be working on the necessary operational changes to prepare for the start of the next school year:

• Updating information on our Student Transfers page to reflect the upcoming changes.
• Starting plans for transportation and routing changes.
• Initiating necessary data system changes.
• Planning for upcoming staffing changes related to the consolidation plan.

We understand that change can bring many questions, and we are committed to providing you with detailed information as these plans develop. Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to shape the future of our schools.

At last night’s school board meeting, the Board voted to move forward with the revised school consolidation proposal, with revisions:

• Lincoln, Adams, Kathryn Jones Harrison, Garfield, and Bessie Colman Elementary Schools become schools serving kindergarten through 6th grade.
• Mountain View Elementary becomes a kindergarten through 8th-grade school. 
• Linus Pauling Middle School becomes a 7th through 8th-grade school and is renamed Corvallis Junior High, allowing students to develop a new mascot and school culture. 
• Cheldelin Middle and Letitia Carson Elementary Schools close at the end of the 2025-26 school year. 
• Students currently enrolled at Letitia Carson Elementary will be distributed as follows: 
  • Students living in the Mountain View boundary who are attending Letitia Carson on a transfer, and those students living east of Highway 99W, will attend Mountain View K-8. 
  • Students living in the Garfield boundary who are attending Letitia Carson on a transfer, or because they are unable to participate in the dual language immersion program, will attend Kathryn Jones Harrison.
  • Students living west of Highway 99W will attend Bessie Coleman. 
• Kathryn Jones Harrison will become Garfield’s “sister school.” This means that students who move into the Garfield boundary after 2nd grade and are unable to participate in the dual language immersion program will be placed at Kathryn Jones Harrison. 
• Cheldelin gyms continue to be accessed by teams and the community. 
• Wildcat Park continues to be accessed by the community for recreation. 
• The school board will review the feasibility of the current high school model during the 2028-29 school year or when high school enrollment falls below 2,025 students. Prior to this review, the district will collaborate with students from all high schools to assess priorities for the high school experience in our district. 
• The board also commits to investigate the feasibility of boundary adjustments for the whole district with attention to minimize impact on students previously impacted by consolidation.
• The board commits to also investigate a school of choice as part of the CSD structure.
• The district is committed to engaging in community conversation with Letitia Carson’s direct descendants, the Letitia Carson Legacy Project, the Oregon Black Pioneers, and the Linn-Benton NAACP on how to best honor her name through CSD buildings and programming.

The district understands that this news is unsettling and carries a significant emotional weight. This is a profound organizational decision that directly impacts the professional lives of dedicated staff and disrupts the sense of community at these schools.

While the emotional impact is substantial, our focus must now shift immediately to the complex work of implementation. We are committed to making this transition as smooth, supportive, and seamless as possible for our staff and students.

The Corvallis School Board has scheduled an additional meeting on Monday, November 10, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at the Corvallis School District Office to continue their deliberations on the school consolidation proposal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our FAQ document below has been updated with additional unanswered questions. We will continue to update this document weekly.

Upcoming Opportunities for Input

• November 13: School Board Meeting, Public Testimony, Corvallis School District Office,  6:30 pm

The Corvallis School Board will hold an additional meeting next week to dedicate additional time to continue the deliberation process regarding the school consolidation proposal.

• Date: Monday, November 10, 2025
• Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
• Location: Corvallis School District Office

This extra session is scheduled specifically to ensure all aspects can be discussed before a decision is made. You may access the meeting agenda and related materials at the link below. 

November 10, 2025 – Special Board Meeting Agenda

This week, the district held the Community Feedback Session at Letitia Carson and published the School Consolidation Revised Proposal Community Feedback Report below. The report outlines the key themes identified from the community’s concerns and suggestions gathered through the online survey, feedback session, and direct communications to the board. 

October 30 School Board Meeting

At last night’s school board meeting, Superintendent Ryan Noss presented on the Revised School Consolidation Proposal below. The presentation included an overview of the process to date, additional data considered in the selection of Letitia Carson as the proposed elementary school for consolidation, and information on the feedback collected from the community on the revised proposal. 

• Presentation Slides

Frequently Asked Questions

Our FAQ document below has been updated with additional questions we’ve received. We will continue to update this document weekly.

Upcoming Opportunities for Input

• November 13: School Board Meeting, Public Testimony, Corvallis School District Office,  6:30 pm

Thank you for your participation in the feedback process regarding the revised school consolidation proposal. The district appreciates the attendance at the community feedback session, the responses to the online survey, and all direct communications received.

We recognize that discussions surrounding potential school closures bring up strong emotions and significant uncertainty. Your feedback is critical and will inform the School Board’s discussion of the revised proposal.

Key Updates and Next Steps

• Community Feedback Report: The district has reviewed the input regarding potential impacts and requested transition support to develop a Community Feedback Report. The report details the key themes derived from the community’s concerns and suggestions. The full report is now available at the link below.
• FAQ Document Update: All outstanding questions submitted as part of the feedback process (Question 3) are being integrated into the weekly School Consolidation FAQ document. The updated FAQ is scheduled for release this Friday, October 31, 2025.
• School Board Review: The School Board will review the report at tomorrow’s school board meeting. This review will guide the next steps in addressing the anticipated $4 million budget gap and long-term enrollment trends.
  • October 30: School Board Meeting, Corvallis School District Office, 6:30 pm
  • Board meetings are also live-streamed on the district’s YouTube channel.
  • The recorded meeting will be uploaded to the district’s YouTube channel following the meeting.

We remain committed to providing regular communication and appreciate your continued engagement.

This week, the district released a revised school consolidation proposal. The School Board requested a revised proposal for the closures. This request was a direct result of feedback that the initial plan:

• Did not do enough to address the anticipated $4 million budget shortfall.
• Delayed an inevitable decision regarding long-term trends of reduced elementary enrollment district-wide.

To address these concerns, the Board specifically directed the revision to add the closure of an elementary school to the original plan for closing Cheldelin Middle School. The revised proposal includes the potential closure of Letitia Carson Elementary School. We understand that this is significant news, and we are committed to gathering your input as we move forward.

Community Feedback Session

When: Monday, October 27th, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm

Where: Letitia Carson Elementary School

The session will include table discussions that will collect information for the board from the questions below.

1. What are your concerns regarding the potential impacts of this revised proposal for your student(s) and family?
2. If the revised plan is approved by the school board, what would help support the transition for your student(s)?
3. What questions do you still have?

You can also submit your answers to these questions by completing our online survey at the link below (survey is now closed).

The survey will remain open until 12:00 pm on Tuesday, October 28th. The feedback gathered from both the community session and the online survey will be compiled and provided to the School Board for their consideration during their first review of the revised proposal at their meeting on October 30th.

Additional Feedback

• Staff: An additional Sup’s Chat is scheduled for Tuesday, October 28, at 3:45 pm, where staff can ask questions.
• Letitia Carson Families: District staff will be available at Letitia Carson during conferences on October 30 and 31 to answer questions, allowing families to focus their time with their student’s teacher on their student’s progress.  

Your perspective is invaluable as the School Board makes these important decisions. Thank you for your continued engagement.

Upcoming Opportunities for Input

• October 27: Community Feedback Session, Letitia Carson Elementary, 6:30-8:00 pm
• October 30: School Board Meeting, Public Testimony, Corvallis School District Office,  6:30 pm

This update includes a revised consolidation proposal that the Board of Directors will review and discuss at their upcoming meeting on Thursday, October 30th, 2025.

Background on the Revision

The Board met on October 16th to discuss the initial proposal and review the community feedback received to date. Specifically, the Board acknowledged feedback that the original plan:

• Delayed what many believe is an inevitable decision regarding the closure of an elementary school.
• Did not do enough to address the anticipated $4 million budget shortfall.
• Did not sufficiently address the long-term trends of reduced elementary enrollment district-wide.

In response, the Board requested a revised proposal be drafted. This revised plan includes the closure of an elementary school, in addition to the previously proposed closure of Cheldelin Middle School.

Why We Are Sharing This Now

While the Board will hold its review and discussion of this revised proposal next week on October 30th, the district felt it was critical to share this information now, rather than waiting for the board packet to be finalized. This is for three important reasons:

1. It allowed for the superintendent to be at the elementary school named for closure today to inform the staff in person and address their immediate questions.
2. To give all staff and community members as much time as possible to process this new information before the Board reviews it at their meeting.
3. To provide as much lead time as possible to share that we are hosting a Community Feedback Session on Monday, October 27th, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

The full revised proposal, including the rationale and financial analysis is at the link above.

The district recognizes that seeing another school named for a potential closure causes anxiety, concern, and pain for our staff, students, and families. This is difficult information to share, and we want to acknowledge the magnitude of this challenge.

This message provides an important update following last night’s School Board meeting regarding school consolidation.

Meeting Recording and Materials

First, we sincerely apologize for the technical difficulties experienced during the meeting’s livestream. Due to an unexpected internet outage, we relied on cellular hotspots, which unfortunately led to significant issues with video speed and consistency.

We want to ensure all members of our community can view the full board meeting and discussion. We have now posted a backup recording of the entire meeting: (Backup Recording) School Board meeting 10-16-2025

The Board’s discussion included a review of several key documents:

• October 1 Enrollment
• Consolidation Proposal Capacity Summary
• FAQ – School Consolidation (Updated 10.10.25)
• CSD School Consolidation Community Engagement Report
• School Consolidation Stoplight Report

Board Request for Revised Proposal

After reviewing community feedback and data, the Board discussed the current consolidation proposal and its projected impact on the anticipated $4 million budget gap for the 2026-27 school year.

Several board members shared that they felt the current proposal, which included the closure of Cheldelin Middle School, did not go far enough to address the budget deficit.

As a result, the Board has requested that Superintendent Noss bring forward a revised consolidation proposal for their review. This revised proposal will include the closure of an elementary school in addition to the initial proposal which includes:

• Lincoln, Adams, Kathryn Jones Harrison, Garfield, Letitia Carson, and Bessie Coleman Elementary Schools become schools serving kindergarten through 6th grade. 
• Mt. View Elementary becomes a kindergarten through 8th-grade school.
• Linus Pauling Middle School becomes a 7th through 8th-grade school and is renamed Corvallis Junior High, allowing students to develop a new mascot and school culture.
• Cheldelin Middle School closes.
• Cheldelin gyms continue to be accessed by teams and the community.
• The school board reviews the feasibility of two high schools during the 2028-29 school year or when enrollment falls below 2,025 students.

We understand that this news is significant and has generated many questions. We are actively reviewing our options and working diligently to develop a revised proposal. A full update will be provided to our staff and community as soon as that revised proposal is developed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our FAQ document has been updated with additional questions we’ve received. We will continue to update this document weekly.

Since releasing the initial proposal, the district has been collecting feedback through various channels, including listening sessions, the school consolidation survey, public testimony at school board meetings, and direct communications sent to the School Board.

We have had this feedback reviewed by an Oregon State University researcher, who developed the CSD School Consolidation Community Engagement Report, highlighting common themes. Additionally, the district created a Stoplight Report to discuss the feasibility of suggested proposals.

We encourage you to review both of these documents at the links provided above. Both these reports will be discussed in detail at the upcoming School Board meeting this Thursday, October 16th.

This week, the district held its fourth and final listening session at Cheldelin Middle School. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Our FAQ document, available above, has been updated to include additional questions we’ve received. We will continue to update this document weekly.

Upcoming Opportunities for Input

• October 16: School Board Meeting, Public Testimony, Corvallis School District Office,  6:30 pm

This week, the district held its third listening session at Corvallis High School.

Innovation Team

On Monday, the district’s Innovation Team held its second meeting. The team:

• Reviewed the factory model of school systems as a way to examine the historical models of public education.
• Spent the meeting brainstorming and discussing the essential knowledge, skills, and characteristics every Corvallis School District graduate should possess, aligning their ideas with the district’s core values and current world needs. They identified key themes, such as academic rigor, problem-solving, and civic engagement, and then began prioritizing these to ensure a consistent and transformative education for all students.

Innovation Team Members

Frequently Asked Questions

Our FAQ document, available above, has been updated to include additional questions we’ve received. We will continue to update this document weekly.

Upcoming Opportunities for Input

• October 8: Listening Session, Cheldelin Middle School, 6:30 – 8:00 pm

The district has made a few changes in response to feedback from the community:

• The listening session scheduled for October 8 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM will now be held at the Cheldelin Middle School cafeteria. It was previously scheduled to be at Linus Pauling.
• The district is seeking a third party to process the raw feedback on school consolidation to present to the school board.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our FAQ document has been updated with additional questions we’ve received. We will continue to update this document each week.

Upcoming Opportunities for Input

• September 30: Listening Session, Corvallis High School, 6:30 – 8:00 pm

Innovation Team

The Innovation Team held its first meeting.

• This group is made up of staff from all of our buildings, several school administrators, and school board members.
• Their work will inform how the final consolidation recommendation is implemented and how our district continues to improve academic outcomes, learning experiences, and student engagement.
• At the first meeting, the team discussed their belief in public education, had a dialogue about educational equity, and submitted feedback on topics for future meetings.

Listening Sessions & Recording

The information from all of the community listening sessions is being combined into a report that the school board will review at its October 16th meeting.

We recognize that not everyone can attend a community listening session, and we want to ensure everyone has a chance to provide feedback. To help with this, we have recorded the slides and presentation from the community listening session and provided a link to the survey questions from the sessions.

Frequently Asked Questions

The district is actively collecting all of the questions asked about consolidation, including those from the listening sessions, and has created a Consolidation FAQ. This document will be updated each week with new questions and answers.

Last week, we shared the School Consolidation Initial Recommendation with the community. Since then, we have gotten questions and requests for clarity. Below are a few necessary clarifications.

• The changes outlined in the proposal would begin in the 2026-27 school year.
• Considering the feasibility of two high schools for the 2028-29 school year doesn’t mean changes would happen then. The district would review it at that time.
• Cheldelin’s current 6th and 7th graders will have a choice between attending Corvallis Junior High or returning to Mt. View for 7th and 8th grades.
• The initial proposal has no recommended changes for Franklin, College Hill, or Bridges.
• Based on community interest, the district will decide whether Mt. View becomes a full K-8 school in the 2026-27 school year or gradually phases into it.
• Due to contract language on seniority and layoffs, the district won’t be able to determine specific staffing changes from this proposal until later in the process.

Upcoming Opportunities for Input

Next week are the first opportunities for community input, ideas, and considerations.

• September 16: Lincoln Elementary, 6:30-8:00 pm
• September 17: Linus Pauling Middle School – Spanish, 6:30-8:00 pm
• September 17: Corvallis High School – Drop-in table at Open House for Spanish-speaking families.

We hope you can join one of our listening sessions. If not, you can share your feedback directly with the school board at [email protected] so they can consider it as they make their final decision.

Today, the recommendation for school consolidation was published as part of the board packet for the September 11, 2025, meeting. This is an initial proposal for consolidation. There are multiple opportunities for community input, ideas, and considerations.

We want to recognize that a decision of this magnitude brings with it not only practical implications but also deep emotions and uncertainties for our community. Change, especially when it involves our schools, touches families, students, and staff in very personal ways. As the board carefully reviews these options and listens to feedback, it will be essential to keep that human impact at the center of our work. While these conversations may be difficult, our commitment remains to support our students, staff, and families through every step of this process, and to communicate openly along the way.

Superintendent Ryan Noss and Operations Director Kim Patten recently provided an update on the results from the Long-Range Facilities Planning process, the overall timeline, and the next steps.

The district has now created a recording of this information for staff, students, families, and the community to view.