Norfolk Council Threatens Funding Over School Closures

Norfolk City Council members, including Mayor Kenny Alexander, expressed mounting frustration with the Norfolk School Board after the board twice delayed a vote on a mandated school closure and consolidation plan, with council members saying withholding or dictating city funding is "on the table." After an almost four-hour session the School Board sketched a new draft based on consultant timelines and agreed to seek public comment before voting Oct. 15, outlining closures beginning in 2026 and further consolidations through the early 2030s. A joint City Council–School Board meeting is set for early October as council members press for a decisive plan and warn they need evidence the board can be trusted with existing funding. Separately, Washoe County officials announced plans for school consolidations, building modernizations and energy-cost measures to address a projected $18 million deficit, saying no staff layoffs are expected though attendance-zone shifts like at Pine Middle School are planned. In Longmeadow, Massachusetts, residents are voting on a nearly $152 million proposal to replace and consolidate Williams and Glenbrook middle schools into a single new facility.