Northshore Weighs Closing Sunrise Elementary
The district is considering closing four elementary schools in fall 2028 amid declining enrollment.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Primary Education
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Northshore School District is considering restructuring plans that include possible closures of Sunrise, Cottage Lake, Moorlands, and Hollywood Hill elementary schools in fall 2028. Sunrise Elementary in Redmond has just over 200 students, and families gathered at a Halloween parade on Oct. 31, 2026 to protest the proposals.
Why it matters
District leaders cite declining enrollment tied to falling birth rates in King and Snohomish Counties, and total enrollment directly affects how much state funding districts receive each year. The district has lost roughly 1,400 elementary-aged students since 2020.
District enrollment has fallen roughly 1,400 elementary students since 2020, and Sunrise enrolls just over 200 students against a target of at least 400 per school. The final list of schools to close has not yet been determined.
The players
Northshore School District
The Washington public school district serving the Northshore area, responsible for the proposed restructuring and closures.
Superintendent Irish
The district's superintendent, who addressed the school board about the restructuring proposals at an Oct. 26, 2026 study session.
The details
Northshore School District is weighing three restructuring scenarios, and Moorlands Elementary is at risk under all of them; district leaders also confirmed Moorlands needs a rebuild. Sunrise, which ranks third academically in Washington state and is the district's highest-performing elementary school, is among the campuses under consideration.
Timeline
Oct. 26, 2026: Superintendent Irish comments at a school board study session.
Oct. 31, 2026: Sunrise families protest closure proposals at a Halloween parade.
November 2026 to February 2027: District holds open houses and meetings to gather family feedback.
March 8, 2027: School board expected to vote on a final recommendation.
Fall 2028: Earliest possible closure date for the schools under consideration.
Big Picture
The proposed closures follow directly from declining birth rates across King and Snohomish Counties, which are shrinking the elementary-age population that funds and fills local schools. Northshore's situation reflects that regional demographic shift rather than a single district's problem.
Families with children at Sunrise, Cottage Lake, Moorlands, or Hollywood Hill elementary schools may need to plan for school reassignment if the closures proceed. Redmond residents should watch the open houses and board meetings scheduled between November and February to weigh in before the vote.
The takeaway
Families in Redmond and across the district can use the open houses and board meetings between November and February to submit feedback before the March 8, 2027 vote.
What happens next
The school board is expected to vote on a final recommendation on March 8, 2027, with closures possible in fall 2028.
Further reading
Explore more on Primary Education to see how enrollment and school funding shape families' choices.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KOMO.
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Should parents have a stronger voice in deciding whether their local elementary school closes?
