Bellingham Students Walk Out Over School Closures

Families at Carl Cozier and Columbia elementary schools face reassignment to new buildings if the district closes both schools.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Secondary Education

Bellingham Students Walk Out Over School Closures

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Hundreds of Bellingham students walked out at noon on Monday to protest planned school closures and the job performance of Superintendent Greg Baker. The walkout gathered outside the district office on Barkley Boulevard before a scheduled school board meeting.

Why it matters

Carl Cozier and Columbia elementary schools are slated to close at the end of this academic year, which would move students to different buildings and reshape neighborhood school boundaries for Bellingham families. The Bellingham Neighborhood Schools Coalition says the decision process lacked open dialogue and financial analysis, which is why the protest has grown.

Carl Cozier students will attend Sunnyland and Wade King elementary schools, while Columbia students will attend Alderwood Elementary School starting in August 2027. Hundreds of students joined the walkout that began at noon on Monday, November 2, 2026.

The players

Bellingham Neighborhood Schools Coalition

A local parent-community group that has resisted the district's push to close Carl Cozier and Columbia elementary schools and has criticized the decision process as not conducted openly.

Greg Baker

The Bellingham school district superintendent whose job performance was a focus of the student walkout.

The details

Students gathered outside the district office along Barkley Boulevard before a scheduled school board meeting, where they voiced objections to the closures and to Superintendent Greg Baker's performance. Officials announced the closure plans in late September, and the district has pushed to close both buildings despite resistance from the Bellingham Neighborhood Schools Coalition. Maps of the new school boundaries are available online for families to review which school their child will attend.

Late September: School officials announced the closure plans for Carl Cozier and Columbia elementary schools.
Monday, November 2, 2026: Students walked out at noon.
Later in November 2026: A final decision on the closures is expected.
End of the 2025-26 academic year: Carl Cozier and Columbia are scheduled to close.
August 2027: Columbia students begin attending Alderwood Elementary School.

The Home Front

School closures and boundary changes directly shape which neighborhood school a child attends, which can influence home demand in the affected attendance areas. Families weighing a move in Bellingham should check the new attendance maps before the final closure decision.

If your child attends Carl Cozier or Columbia, check the district's online boundary maps to confirm your new assigned school before the final decision. Keep records of school enrollment and transportation options so you can plan for the transition.

The takeaway

School boundary changes can alter a family's assigned school and daily routine, so reviewing the district's maps early gives you time to plan. Watch for the final closure decision later this month and keep your child's enrollment paperwork current.

What happens next

A final decision on the Carl Cozier and Columbia closures is expected later in November 2026, and Columbia students begin at Alderwood Elementary in August 2027.