Vista Unified will shutter two neighborhood schools as soon as next year as it faces declining enrollment and aging facilities. Now some parents wonder how the closures will impact children’s ability to get to school and access to special magnet programs in the majority low-income district.
Last month the school board voted to consolidate Beaumont Elementary, which has 460 students, and Rancho Minerva Middle, which has 530.
The board also decided to move one of its magnet middle schools, Vista Innovation and Design Academy, also known as VIDA, to occupy the buildings being vacated by Rancho Minerva. Unlike Rancho Minerva, VIDA has enrollment demand that exceeds its capacity but has outdated facilities that would be expensive to renovate, officials said.
The closure decisions have raised questions from many in the district about the potential impact on families’ ability to get to…
