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AB 323

Revises provisions relating to certain changes in the use of school buildings. (BDR 34-526)

2025 Regular Session

AB 323 requires school boards to give 30‑day notices to staff, parents, and nearby residents, publish in a newspaper, and provide detailed closure justifications when changing a sc

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Bill Summary · AB 323

Summary — AB 323 (BDR 34‑526)

Status: Enacted (Chapter 255, Statutes of 2025). Approved by Governor October 3, 2025. Effective date: July 1, 2025. Contains an unfunded mandate (§§ 1, 2); fiscal note: may have local fiscal impact, state impact: yes.

Purpose

AB 323 revises procedures and standards that school district boards must follow when proposing to change the location of a school, close a school, or change the use of a school building to a purpose other than teaching prekindergarten through grade 12. It also alters review rights and timelines for district and State Board action on such decisions.

Key provisions

  • Exemption for adding prekindergarten:

    • A proposal to add prekindergarten to the grades taught at a school is exempt from the procedural requirements that apply to changing a school’s location, closing a school, or changing its use.

  • Notice and community outreach requirements:

    • When a board proposes to change location, close, or change the use of a school, it must:
    • Give 30 days’ written notice to the school principal, teachers, and parents of pupils attending the school.
    • Also give 30 days’ written notice to members of the community who reside within a 1‑mile radius of the school.
    • Publish notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county at least 10 days before the meeting where the matter will be considered.

  • Required contents of a closure notice:

    • The written notice of a proposal to close a school must include:
    • The reason for the proposed closure;
    • Any documentation of costs associated with the closure; and
    • The scope of work necessary for the school to remain open.

  • Prohibited bases for closure decisions:

    • A board may not base a decision to close a school on:
    • Damage or other impacts caused by a flood or fire; or
    • The number of pupils enrolled at the school.

  • Reconsideration and State Board review:

    • A resident aggrieved by a board decision may request a written hearing for reconsideration within 30 days; the board must schedule the hearing within 30 days.
    • Regardless of whether the district holds a reconsideration hearing, the State Board of Education is required to review any final district decision to close or change the use of a school. The State Board will review the decision at its next regular meeting (with a brief delay rule if timing conflicts) and may affirm, modify, or reverse the district decision. State Board decisions are final for purposes of judicial review.

Who is affected

  • School district boards of trustees (new notification, documentation requirements, and limits on permissible reasons for closure).
  • School principals, teachers, parents, and residents within 1 mile of affected schools (expanded notice rights).
  • The State Board of Education (mandated review authority).
  • Local governments and school districts (potential additional administrative and notification costs — unfunded mandate).

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Effective July 1, 2025. Amendments do not apply to board decisions that became final before July 1, 2025.
  • Publication requirement: at least 10 days before the meeting. Written notice: 30 days in advance.
  • Reconsideration requests must be filed within 30 days of the district decision; district must hear within 30 days. State Board reviews final decisions at its next regular meeting (or next following meeting if within 10 business days).

Potential impact

  • Increases transparency and community involvement for proposed school closures or repurposings.
  • Restricts grounds on which closures may be justified (disaster damage and enrollment figures excluded), which may constrain district decision‑making.
  • May impose additional administrative and fiscal burdens on districts (notification, documentation, and possible extended review/hearings), noted as an unfunded mandate.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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