10/24 UPDATE: Revised Policy Passed
The Olympia School District Board of Directors passed the revised version of Policy 6883. When asked to amend the policy and add the phrase, “This report shall be completed at least ninety (90) days prior to any final decision by the Board as to any school closure,” Director Flores could not get a second. This sentence would provide clarity to the opening of the 90 day process & is in line with North Thurston Public Schools (the district they initially modeled the revision after!) and other surrounding districts. Director Huffman looked unnerved, and Director Tourtellotte-Palumbo was confused by the sentence.
Vice President Clifthorne then spent several minutes explaining why he did not second the passage, and said this now adds the impact of not closing a school in it. Something he finds particularly important.
Under this closure policy, a school can now be closed in 10 days. No word on if they ever plan to do mediation, but Director Flores noted that the board is continuing to target any amendments she makes. Even when they are clarifying, transparent, and reflect the wants of our district.
Our New Closure Policy

10/7 UPDATE: Public Comment for 6000 series re-opened
Public comment for the 6000 series was reopened last week due to a process issue; policy 6883 (school closure policy) did not receive an official first reading. This means the school board needs to provide sufficient time for public comment. (Thank you, school board, for following the rules!)
There are notable differences between the current and proposed versions of policy 6883. The chart below compares North Thurston’s policy 6883 with OSD’s existing and proposed versions.
North Thurston Public Schools (NTPS) was selected because OSD claims to be modeling its policy after NTPS, which was adopted even before OSD’s current policy. The drafted OSD policy permits a quicker school closure process, lacks detailed planning for implementation, and does not specify when the closure process begins. So, why is OSD considering adopting a policy that is older than the one it currently uses?
Also, over 90% of school districts in the state currently use the Washington State School Directors’ (WSSDA) model policy for 6883, which includes these important details.
Join us in urging OSD and its Board of Directors to reject the proposed changes and retain the current policy.
POLICY 6883 | Current OSD/WSSDA Model Policy | Proposed OSD Policy | Current NTPS Policy |
---|---|---|---|
Most recent adoption date | 2011 (13 years ago) | To Be Determined | 2006 (18 years ago) |
Number of provisions in written analysis | 7 | 4 | 3 |
Aligned with WSSDA model policy | Yes | No | No |
Minimum number of public hearings | 1 or more | 1 or more per school | 2 or more per school |
Clear start to closure process | Yes | No | Yes |
Minimum time needed to close a school | 90 Days | 14 Days | 90 Days |
Take Action:
- Provide Your Feedback: Share your thoughts on the policy here.
- Email Board Members: Send a copy of your feedback to all Board of Directors, student representatives, and Superintendent Murphy. You can find their emails here. This ensures that all directors receive your comments.
- Request Transparency: In your communication, ask the district to post all feedback on the district website for public access.
10/1 UPDATE:
Being sued doesn’t justify changing the policy to simplify the objectives.
OSD currently follows a Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA) model policy for 6883 but is considering a shift away from it. OSD4All researched closure policies across the state in similar districts. It’s worth noting that over 90% of school districts in Washington state continue to utilize the WSSDA model policy.
The latest version of OSD’s 6883 policy is based on the North Thurston Public Schools (NTPS) closure policy, which was created in 2006. In contrast, OSD’s current version was adopted in 2011. This means OSD is considering enacting a policy that is older than its existing one.

Furthermore, OSD is not fully adopting NTPS 6883; it seems to be selectively integrating parts of it. Importantly, NTPS mandates a written report analyzing the effects of any proposed school closure, to be completed at least ninety (90) days before the Board’s final decision. This critical element is absent from OSD’s current revision.Public comment for policy 6883 has been reopened. We encourage you to share your comments and concerns once more, even if you submitted them during the previous feedback period. Tell OSD to maintain the existing policy 6883 until WSSDA provides an updated version.
9/27 UPDATE:
Thanks to Director Flores and our community’s engagement, the 6000 series approval—specifically policy 6883 on school closures—was put on hold last night! The district is currently investigating if 6883 actually had an official first reading. Stay tuned for updates on when this policy will be reopened for community.
9/11 Original Post:
POLICY 6883, the policy that dictates the process for closing schools in Washington, was broken by the Olympia School District Board in 2024, and they are looking to make this policy to become less specific in the analysis they provide and decrease community engagement. The 90 day period has also been removed from the new draft policy.
Comment on these changes via the OSD Policy Feedback Comment form
CRITERIA |
North Mason School District |
Yelm Community Schools |
Tumwater School District |
North Thurston Public Schools |
CURRENT Olympia School District |
PROPOSED Olympia School District |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Requires written report | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
Written report must consider | Impact on other schools | X | X | X | X | X | |
Impact on program offerings | X | X | X | X | X | ||
Impact on financials | X | X | X | X | X | ||
Enrollment declines, projected or actual | X | X | X | X | |||
Costs associated with displaced students and staff | X | X | X | X | |||
Potential for renovation | X | X | X | X | |||
Safety, health and fire regulations | X | X | X | X | |||
Repurpose of school to be closed | X | X | X | X | |||
Requires 90 day wait period after release of written report | X | X | X | X | X | ||
Hearings | Min. number per school | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Publication in newspaper | X | X | X | X | X | X |