Parents and some local elected officials called out the financial management of Joliet Public Schools District 86 after a vote to close A.O. Marshall Elementary School after this school year.

The District 86 Board of School Inspectors voted Wednesday to shut down the 101-year-old building.

The vote was officially unanimous, though Inspector Sandra Aguirre said she opposed the closing and that she had misspoken during the roll call.

“I was overwhelmed and very upset,” Aguirre told Shaw Local on Thursday. “My mind went elsewhere, but I should have said no. I have spoken with the community members after the meeting, and I never agreed with closing this school.”

After the vote, Marshall parent Andrew Smith called the decision “disheartening.”

“They’re thinking more about money than they are the kids,” he said. “And she [Rouse] is only focused on her next step up the ladder. It felt like they already had their minds made up before they ever had the first meeting.”

Despite having a capacity for 644 students, there are currently only 210 students enrolled at Marshall in kindergarten through fifth grade, just 33% of the school’s capacity.

This low enrollment makes Marshall, located at 319 Harwood St., the most under-utilized building in the district. This, combined with its age and need for maintenance upgrades, has led to District 86’s decision to close it in June.

Marshall students will be relocated to Isaac Singleton Elementary, a building that is 87 years newer and nearly 50% larger, for the 2026-27 school year.

Singleton, located at 1451 Copperfield Ave., currently has an enrollment of 366 students, and operates at 52% of its 700 student capacity.

The district held three hearings about the issue, which saw dozens of parents, students and teachers argue to save the building.

Residents stated that closing the school would be hard on families emotionally and create logistical problems for students who walk to school.

The staff also argued that having smaller class sizes at Marshall allows teachers to focus more on individual students.

Rouse’s leadership questioned

Several residents spoke again Wednesday night before the official vote, including State Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, who questioned the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Theresa Rouse around both financial decisions and district transparency, and called for an “immediate” transition of leadership within the district.

“Every day under ineffective leadership, the district risks further erosion of trust, safety and academic progress,” she said.

Rouse is leaving as superintendent after the 2026-27 school year.

Ventura used the closing of Marshall during the current rebuilding of Gompers and Hufford Junior High Schools as an argument of questionable financial planning.

“Existing school buildings have been allowed to fall into disrepair and now face closure, while the district is moving forward with building two new junior high schools and demolishing a building that is less than 50 years old. Allowing functional buildings to deteriorate, while pursuing costly new construction, reflects a lack of long-term planning and responsible facility management,” she said.

“A.O. Marshall should remain open, and the district should instead prioritize students by redrawing boundaries and working towards smaller class sizes,” Ventura concluded.

Ventura was not alone in expressing frustration with Rouse.

Joliet Junior College trustee Alicia Morales questioned the fiscal responsibility of Rouse’s salary, which Ventura noted is over $319,000 annually, calling it “unsustainable.”

Rouse’s base salary is $266,308, but with annuities, her annual compensation comes to $319,400.

“We need responsible leadership,” Morales said, referencing both the board and Rouse’s current plans to run for Superintendent of the Regional Office of Education after she leaves District 86

Andrew Smith also spoke against Rouse’s leadership, even shouting out to Board President Dr. Jesse Smith during the meeting.

“At least you look at us, Dr. Jesse,” he called out. “Dr. Rouse won’t even lift her head this whole time.”

Jessie Smith had just thanked the public for coming out and expressing their opinions at the three hearings.

“Making a decision to close a school is very difficult. I thank all of you who’ve spoken for coming out. Whether you believe it or not, you were all heard,” he said.

What’s next for community

Andrew Smith said that while it will be less convenient for his child to attend Singleton since the family lives close to Marshall, that is not the biggest issue.

“It’s the class sizes,” he said. “The classes are going to be a lot bigger, and it isn’t being taken into consideration.”

Currently, the district has noted that the average class size at Marshall is 14 students, while at Singleton, the average class size is 20 students. The projected average class size for the 2026-27 school year will be 25 students.

While the board members expressed that the decision was difficult, before the vote, Aguirre said she would be voting no.

“I think we should reconsider closing the school,” she said. “I hope we don’t end up with over-populated classrooms or that staff become unemployed. We need the space, and we have neglected it for a long time.”

“It’s heart-wrenching for all of us,” said Inspector Deborah Ziech, who noted that the board had previously considered closing the school 15 years ago. “Marshall is definitely a community, but that’s not about the building; it’s the people.”

“I understand that a change of this significance is not easy,” Rouse said in a statement released after the meeting. “We are committed to making the transition to a new school as smooth as possible for our students, families and staff.”

Rouse also said that “at this point I don’t see any layoffs in the works,” noting that she would be meeting with Marshall staff Thursday and that, in accordance with existing union contracts, “they’ll have options within the district.”

“They’ve said no one is losing their jobs. I’d like to hold them to that, and I hope they work with the families to have a smooth transition,” Ventura said after the vote.

Rouse declined to address Ventura’s comments about her leadership, but said “the district’s financial record speaks for itself” regarding the accusations of irresponsibility.

After the board left to go into closed session, many parents and tearful students lingered in the Lynne Thigpen gymnasium reflecting on the decision.

“Shame on them,” said Marshall alum and current Joliet Central student Fatima Mascote, who had spoken earlier in the meeting.

As part of the transition, the district said that current Marshall students and families will be invited to an open house at Singleton in May to meet the staff and tour the school.

Singleton was built in 2011 and features larger facilities, including a separate cafeteria and gym, as well as a two-story library.