Wisevoter
Springfield

Rountree Neighbors Push to Save School

Parents and neighbors ask Springfield Public Schools to renovate Rountree Elementary instead of closing it.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Primary Education

Brick two-story elementary school across a quiet tree-lined street in autumn, with fallen leaves and an empty lawn bench.
Springfield parents and neighbors are urging the school district to renovate Rountree Elementary rather than close it, as enrollment has fallen more than 9% since 2019. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should school districts keep older neighborhood elementary schools open rather than close them?

Neighbors of Rountree Elementary carried a "Keep Rountree Open" banner in the neighborhood's annual Halloween parade and organized a letter asking the district to renovate the school and remove closure from consideration. The school remains open, and no decision to close it has been made.

Why it matters

Springfield Public Schools cites costly repairs and declining enrollment across the district, with enrollment down more than 9% since 2019. A consultant's assessment ranked Rountree second to last for building condition, though it did not specifically recommend closing the school.

A consultant's assessment ranked Rountree Elementary second to last for building condition, while the district estimates $422 million in facility needs across its schools. The assessment did not specifically recommend closing Rountree, and final options remain unresolved.

The players

Springfield Public Schools

The Springfield, Missouri school district operates the city's public schools and is leading the facility master planning process.

Julie Blackmon

A Rountree neighborhood resident who helped organize the letter urging the district to renovate the school rather than close it.

The details

Residents carried a banner through the Rountree neighborhood's annual Halloween parade Saturday. Neighbor Julie Blackmon helped organize a letter asking the district to renovate Rountree and take closure off the table.

Timeline

  1. Saturday, October 31, 2026: Neighbors carry the "Keep Rountree Open" banner in the Halloween parade.

  2. Sunday, November 1, 2026, 5 p.m.: The Facility Master Plan survey closes.

  3. December 2026: The district presents closure options to the school board.

  4. Spring 2027: The school board is expected to adopt a facilities plan.

Season Trajectory

The Rountree dispute is part of Springfield Public Schools' broader facility master plan, which follows enrollment falling more than 9% since 2019. The district's $422 million estimate for facility needs frames each closure decision within that larger shrinking-enrollment trend.

Families with children at Rountree Elementary should watch the December school board presentation, since closure options will be laid out there. The Facility Master Plan survey closes at 5 p.m. Sunday, giving residents a window to weigh in before the district's recommendations are finalized.

The takeaway

Residents who want input on Rountree's future should participate in the district's survey and attend the December board meeting. Declining enrollment is shaping which schools remain open across the district.

What happens next

The district presents closure options to the school board in December 2026, and the board is expected to adopt a facilities plan in spring 2027.

Further reading

Explore more Primary Education coverage for context on how school facility decisions affect families.

More information

Share your views through the Facility Master Plan survey from Springfield Public Schools, which closes at 5 p.m. Sunday.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Ky3.

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Should school districts keep older neighborhood elementary schools open rather than close them?