FAQs

Rethink our Future. Redesign our Schools.



Frequently Asked Questions

Ver las preguntas frecuentes en español aquí.

Does this mean we are closing schools? If so how many?
This process may result in a recommendation to combine campuses and programs, but the impact directly to our schools will be minimal, as we are focused on providing the best opportunities and resources to our students.
What happens with schools where we know enrollment is down?
Enrollment is just one of six factors the task force will be using to evaluate how we redesign the district.
What are the criteria for evaluating schools?
We will share detailed data on the following six parameters for evaluating programs and campuses:
1. Enrollment
2. Financial impact
3. Geographical location
4. Facility condition ranking
5. Instructional programming
6. Academic accountability
Is this a school closure task force?
No, this task force is meant to evaluate and identify opportunities for the district to optimize programming and resources. While that could include recommendations to combine schools, the task force may provide ideas, for example, on how we can increase enrollment in certain areas, better resource key programs, raise money or save money. The task force’s ideas and recommendations may align with a traditional cost-saving measure of combining schools, but they bring forth a completely new perspective.
What programs are we identifying?
A list of Programs at every campus will be shared with the task force and evaluated to ensure that programs align with the best interests of our students.
How is this going to affect me?
Principals at each of the schools are identifying one parent and one staff member to serve on the task force, and one community member is being identified by each Board member. These members will be participating in four task force meetings and a couple of community meetings, where we aim to gather feedback from across the district. The process will have minimal impact on daily operations at this time. Once we have the recommendations and the Board develops an action plan for the district to implement, we will know more about the direct impact to campuses, staff, parents, students and our community.
Will this process result in job losses?
We are not planning to reduce staff. In fact, we are struggling to fill vacancies and see a turnover rate of between 15-20% each year. We suspect this process of redesigning our programs and resources will in fact support our efforts to fill vacant positions and get us closer to ensuring every child is paired with a permanent teacher.
Schools are the heartbeat of our neighborhoods. What will be done if any facilities are closed?
In the event the recommendation by the task force is to combine campuses, we will evaluate the potential use of facilities that benefit our students and our community. These decisions and determinations will be developed in the Spring once we have final input from this redesign process.
Has an outside facilities review been completed as part of the process already?
We will share with the task force the facilities assessment that was compiled by TASB and shared with the Blue-Ribbon Committee that evaluated all facilities in 2018. Since that report, the staff have been maintaining campus infrastructure data, including maintenance and repairs, remodeling, and maintenance records. Combined with the TASB report information, staff will share this data with the committee as part of the criteria they are charged with evaluating.
What are we doing with this information?
Once the committee provides recommendations, these will be reviewed by the Facilities and Finance Committee of the Board and recommendations will be presented to the Board in November. The Board will need time to evaluate the recommendations and discuss. The plan is to have some of these recommendations become action items that are approved by the Board for implementation in the 2024-2025 school year.
Why is the process being accelerated?
The Board and district staff have been discussing these challenges for many years now. We owe it to our students, parents, staff and community to make decisions about the future of our district within a timeframe that provides the appropriate time to gather feedback. We also need enough time to implement any recommended action items in a way that is least disruptive to learning, which means changes over the course of the Spring and Summer will provide the time necessary to make changes efficiently and effectively for the 2024-25 academic year.
Why are we starting this process now?
We’ve intentionally built up our district fund balance and leveraged grant funds that have allowed us to launch programs around student choice over the last five years. With grant funds diminishing, now is the time to evaluate whether those programs and our campuses are meeting the needs of our students and community. This has been an evolutionary process, and this rethink and redesign effort is a natural next step.