BRUNEAU, Idaho — Voters in Owyhee and Elmore County will soon decide whether Bruneau Elementary School stays open next year or closes its doors for good.
The Bruneau Grand View School District is asking voters to approve the school’s closure on the Nov. 4 ballot — a move that could end more than 50 years of local classes in the small, rural community south of Mountain Home.
The school board voted in July to close Bruneau Elementary at the end of the 2024–25 school year unless voters decide otherwise. That decision sparked frustration from residents who say they already approved a levy last May to keep all three schools in the district open.
RELATED: Bruneau Elementary will stay open for another year, if staff can be secured
"We look at it as a little bit of a bait and switch," Bruneau neighbor Sherry Colyer said. "You got the levy passed, and now you’re still going to take the money but close the school."
District leaders say the proposed closure is not about breaking promises but about ensuring long-term stability.
"We feel that it is in the best interest of students, staff, families, and communities to make a transition in a manner that is planned with thoughtful intent rather than forced," Superintendent Jeff Blaser said.
RELATED: Bruneau Elementary faces closure as enrollment falls below district threshold
If the measure passes and the school closes, all 28 students currently enrolled at Bruneau Elementary would transfer to Grand View Elementary, about 20 miles away.
Owyhee County and eligible Elmore County voters can weigh in on the issue on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4.
