The Guam Board of Education voted unanimously not to close any schools during the 2026-27 school year, with board members saying studies have to be completed and parents need to have input before any changes are made.
Because of declining birth rates, lower enrollment and higher operating costs, the education department began studying a plan to consolidate schools.
Six schools in the south were identified for possible closure, raising alarms in southern villages.
With the motion passed during Tuesday’s meeting, “we are not closing any school in the south or anywhere on Guam until all these required documents and the study is completely done in transparency and in communication with all the stakeholders,” Board Member Angel Sablan said.
Superintendent Judith Won Pat told the board that former Superintendent Kenneth Swanson created a task force to look at consolidating schools.
She said the first group of schools included L.B.J. Elementary and Chief Brodie Memorial School, which were closed last year. Schools in Sånta Rita-Sumai, Hågat, Malesso', Inalåhan, Talo'fo'fo' and Yona would be addressed in the second group.
The task force was established “to primarily maximize full utilization of our school facilities, to maximize school classic classrooms due to under-enrollment, to maximize human resources due to a lack of teachers, certified teachers, and staff vacancies, to save on the activities and other contractual obligations,” Won Pat said.
But there isn’t time to implement any school consolidation during the upcoming school year, and the matter still needs to be studied and put before the board before changes are made.
Mayors and parents were in attendance at the board meeting, and some board members suggested alternatives to closing schools.
Board Chairperson Judith Guthertz said the department is exploring the possibility of renting unused space in buildings to government agencies or nonprofit groups.
“There's a lot of creative things that we can do, and I think I would hope that our island officials would be supportive of this, as well as our mayors,” Guthertz said.
“I don't think anyone here really wants to remove a school from a community,” Guthertz said. “None of us want to do that.”
