Once again the East Lyme Board of Education will re-evaluate the best approach to modernizing its elementary schools. The lesson it should learn is that a highly transparent and inclusive approach will be necessary to produce a plan with support broad enough to win voter approval.

The board is making the right decision in not moving forward with the most recent version. It had called for the rebuilding of the Lillie B. Haynes School, centrally located near the town’s middle school. The Flanders Elementary School would have undergone a $1.5 million refurbishment, essentially buying time for the major renovation that would eventually be necessary. Most controversially, the plan called for closing the Niantic Center School serving families in the seaside village.

Consolidating from three to two elementary schools was a pragmatic approach given projections of shrinking enrollments. The cost would have been $45 million, with local taxpayers covering $34.25 million of that after state reimbursements. The proposal was on track for a November vote.

But it confronted opposition from parents in Niantic who did not want to see their community school closed. The plan also suffered from a lack of citizen buy-in and a sense that a small group of insiders was imposing it on the citizenry rather than building a consensus.

It did not help build confidence that earlier this year the school board was pursuing a far different, more expensive plan — rebuild Flanders Elementary, renovate Niantic Center and close Lillie B. Hayes.

Board of Education members appeared to confront the realization that voters were likely to reject the project due to a combination of parental opposition and cost concerns.

Board of Education member Barbara R. Senges, who had prevsioulsy supported the plan, sees no need to rush forward with a decision on how to proceed.

“It is imperative that the board ensure that the plan we develop moving forward include options that can be discussed by the public,” she said. “The public, not town officials, need to decide when they have all the facts, what they are willing to support financially.”

Physically reorganizing a school system is often difficult. People treasure their local school. But that’s the challenge East Lyme faces. Senges is correct. Working closely with the public offers the best chance of success.