Around the valley/Community
West Ada will close McMillan Elementary after the 2026-27 school year
November 11, 2026 · Boise · Spencer Southey
West Ada has voted to decommission McMillan Elementary in Boise at the end of the 2026-27 school year. BoiseDev reports the district's board of trustees voted 5-0 on November 9, 2026, to close the school, with district leaders pointing to long-term enrollment decline and the need to use resources more efficiently.
McMillan Elementary is at 10901 W. McMillan Rd. The closure decision is significant for nearby families, but from a real estate perspective, the next step matters just as much: West Ada still has to decide where students will go for the 2027-28 school year.
Why the district says it's closing
District materials show McMillan had 171 K-5 students and 8 pre-K students as of September 22, 2026. West Ada lists the school's optimal design capacity at 600 students and its program capacity at 475.
According to the district, McMillan has the lowest enrollment of any elementary school in West Ada. The Long-Range Planning Committee had recommended the district evaluate the school's future, which led to this vote.
Idaho News 6 reported that about 140 students in kindergarten through fourth grade will be impacted by the closure.
Where students could go next
West Ada has said a separate attendance boundary process will decide which schools receive McMillan students for 2027-28. That means the closure is approved, but the exact reassignment plan is not final yet.
Idaho Ed News reported district staff said six nearby schools have 1,016 open seats available for McMillan students. Two schools specifically cited for having large available capacity were:
- Andrus Elementary: 270 open seats
- Frontier Elementary: 263 open seats
West Ada has also said other district boundary changes are already under review, and those broader changes won't be finalized until February 2027.
How families can weigh in
District materials say families will get a chance to review the attendance boundary recommendation, attend community forums, and provide feedback before a final decision.
West Ada's posted timeline shows:
- Blue Proposal community forums on Nov. 12 and Nov. 16, 2026
- Both forums run from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
- Location: District Service Center in Meridian
- A possible board vote on the Gold Proposal on Feb. 8, 2027
BoiseDev also noted that West Ada is planning for the new Lake Hazel Elementary School to open for the 2027-28 school year, so the district is clearly making several enrollment and capacity decisions at once.
My take
If you own a home near McMillan or you're shopping that part of Boise, this is a good example of why I always tell people to verify school boundaries close to closing, not just early in the search. The school's address isn't changing, but where students are assigned can change, and that matters a lot to families making a move.
I also think it's important not to oversimplify this into just a closure headline. The district says nearby schools have room, and there is still a process ahead with community input before the final boundary map is adopted. So for someone moving in the next few months, the practical question is less "Is McMillan closing?" and more "What will the 2027-28 school assignment actually be for this address?" That's the detail I'd want nailed down before making a decision based heavily on school plans.
Sources
Originally reported by BoiseDev.
Thinking about living near here?
Spencer and the team know the Treasure Valley block by block. Browse what’s for sale or ask us anything, no pressure.
