The South Bend Community Schools’ Empowerment Zone will continue for at least three more years.

At their meeting Monday night, the district’s school board approved extending the zone through June 2026. The zone was created to help turn around Navarre Middle School and the elementary schools that feed it in 2019.

ne of those schools, Warren elementary, is scheduled to be closed after this coming school year as part of the Facilities Master Plan.

District leaders say they are seeing positive results from the program and want to support the improvements in academic outcomes.