The Lawrence school district is making plans to cut anywhere from $1.5 million to $5 million from next year’s budget, and its leaders will be looking to members of an appointed task force for help identifying savings.

Monday night, task force members learned that the district likely could close one, maybe two elementary schools next year and still have room in remaining schools to accommodate all students enrolled in kindergarten through fifth grade.

The classroom capacity is there, leaders of the Lawrence Elementary School Facility Vision Task Force concluded, after spending months studying the sizes and arrangements of classrooms and attaching that information to enrollment data.

So now it’s up to task force members to review district needs, assess educational goals and forecast enrollment trends — all while balancing financial constraints. In the coming weeks they’ll weigh options that could include closing schools, increasing class sizes, eliminating programs or anything else to help board members balance their books for next year and beyond.

David Johnson, who’s already spent four years cutting budgets as CEO of Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, said he and his fellow task force members would be facing plenty of “hurtful” decisions, in making their recommendations due by the end of February.

Just where the decisions end up remains to be seen.

“These are scenarios, not the answer,” said Scott Morgan, co-chairman of the task force and a board member who does not plan to seek re-election in April.

The school board formed the task force in May to create a community vision for the future of the district’s elementary schools given “the restraints of current and anticipated district resources.”

The district already cut $4.6 million heading into the current academic year, cuts that prompted formation of the task force. Now, there’s talk of losing another $1.5 million to $5 million going into the next academic year.

“We can get to a much higher number,” conceded Rick Doll, district superintendent. “In a worst-worst-worst-case scenario, it’s higher than $5 million.”

Earlier work by the task force has determined the size and usage of each classroom in the district, which will enable the group to come up with scenarios for how potential changes — from closing schools to renovating schools to expanding schools or even building new schools — might affect operations and expenses.

Scenarios also could include continued growth in English as a second language (ESL) programs, or extension of full-day kindergarten to another two schools within the next five years, according to draft information circulated during Monday’s meeting.

The task force’s next meeting is 7 p.m. Jan. 17 at district headquarters, 110 McDonald Drive.