 |
Scottsdale
Unified School District No Dream Too Big . . . No Challenge Too Great |
| Education
Center 3811 North 44th Street Phoenix, Arizona 85018 |
Telephone:
480-484-6100 FAX: 602-952-6254 Web site: www.susd.org |
|
NEWS and INFORMATION |
Governing Board To Hear Recommendations
For Boundary Adjustments
After more than
three years of public input and dialogue, a failed bond election to build
a sixth high school, and parents imploring the District to bring closure
to the process, the Governing Board is set to make a decision on attendance
boundaries for the 2003-2004 school year at its regularly scheduled meeting
Tuesday, Aug. 20.
"This has not
been a quick nor easy process," said Dr. Barbara F. Erwin, superintendent.
She noted that the process began in earnest more than three years ago,
when the Governing Board contracted for a boundary study and plan.
"Hundreds of
hours of community input, suggestions, and plans were heard and presented
to the Board. The community resolution was to call for a bond and build
a new high school; thereby eliminating the immediate need for any boundary
changes," Dr. Erwin said. With the defeat of the bond election, the
Governing Board at its Nov. 27, 2001, meeting directed the administration
to present plans to adjust boundaries in a time frame that give parents
and the community a year's notice.
Additionally, the
community requested that a facility master plan be developed. That goal
was achieved in May of this year. Enrollment projections, capacity figures,
and other demographic information compiled as part of the facility master
planning process were utilized in developing the administration's recommendation
for boundary adjustments for 2003-2004.
"This is not
a new issue in public education, nor one isolated in Scottsdale. Districts
nationwide routinely adjust attendance areas to accommodate enrollment
density changes. Governing boards regularly adjust boundaries as a function
of their elected position," Dr. Erwin said.
"It was incumbent
upon the school district to minimize the overcrowding and accommodate
the growth in the northern tier schools, which includes Saguaro and Desert
Mountain High Schools, without the addition of new facilities," said
Dr. Bill Johnson, chief of facilities and operations. He presented a variety
of options and rationale previously to the Governing Board on June 4.
At Tuesday's meeting,
Dr. Johnson will present the administration's recommendation for the Board's
consideration. The 7 p.m. meeting will be held at Desert Mountain High
School, 12575 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Public comment will be heard at
the meeting.
The components of
the administration's recommendation are:
- Students in the Copper Ridge Elementary School attendance area will feed the Chaparral High School attendance area.
- Students living in the area east of 104th Street, north of Shea Boulevard, and southwest of the CAP canal, will feed the Aztec Elementary School and Desert Canyon Middle School attendance areas.
- Current high school and middle school students and their siblings will be grandfathered, if siblings are concurrently enrolled at the same school.
- Students affected by these changes may choose to open enroll, and must provide their own transportation.
In developing
the recommendation, the administration followed a set of criteria and
took into account community input, as well as other factors, such as the
opening of a nearby parochial high school. The following criteria was
used:
- Impact the fewest number of students and families as practical.
- Develop a short-term plan (5-to-7 years), with the long-term plan (12-to-15 years) in mind.
- Avoid multiple or frequent moves and changes.
- Minimize costs and time associated with the transportation of students.
- Maintain integrity of all existing instructional programs at the campuses.
- Preserve the neighborhood school concept, whenever practical.
- Adjust complex feeder patterns as necessary.
- Balance enrollment with school capacity.
The
administration's recommendation strives to equalize capacities and enrollments,
while maximizing the use of existing facilities. It directly impacts less
than two percent of existing students, according to Dr. Johnson.
"It is important
for our community to understand that whatever we do now is a short-term
solution to a long-term problem," Dr. Johnson said. "Ultimate
equalization will depend on what the community chooses to do with its
school facilities."
In addition to the
recommendation, Dr. Johnson also will present the following administrative
guidelines:
- The changes would take effect for the 2003-2004 school year, affecting incoming high school freshmen and incoming sixth graders.
- All current high school students would be grandfathered.
- Seventh and eighth graders for 2003-2004 would be grandfathered.
- Fifth graders for 2003-2004 would be grandfathered.
- Current high school and middle school students and their siblings would be grandfathered, if siblings are concurrently enrolled at the same school.
- Transportation would be provided during a transition period.
- Students in the areas impacted by boundary changes would be given priority to open enroll to the school they would have attended.
- Balance enrollment with school capacity.
The
complete presentation of the administration's recommendation is available
from the Facilities Department at 480-484-6143, or on the District's Web
site at: www.susd.org#
The Scottsdale
Unified School District has 33 schools serving about 27,000 students. More
than 3,000 persons are employed by the district, including about 1,800 teachers.
The district celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1996. Its boundaries include
most, but not all of the city of Scottsdale, almost all of the town of Paradise
Valley, a section of the city of Phoenix, and a section of the city of Tempe.