D-11 plans will go beyond closures

The realities of the world are pushing change in Colorado Springs School District 11.

The urban district's enrollment is declining, while an increasing percentage of its students come from poor families and are more likely to need extra services. It has aging buildings, many of which are inefficient to run for the number of students they serve.

At the same time, there is increasing demand for innovative and specialized programs to prepare students for the world they will graduate into - one that is increasingly high-tech and in which career paths can change with mind-numbing speed.

Simply closing schools to save money is not enough, administrators say they believe. But that must be part of the equation, they also say.

A recently formed steering committee of D-11 administrators, employee groups and community members is working feverishly on "The PLAN," an ever-changing document that contains information on every school in the district, certain magnet-type programs the district would like to align through all grades and other critical data.

"We are doing a lot of brainstorming and trying to look at this from a district-wide perspective," said Mike Poore, deputy superintendent and steering committee chairman. "We need to look at what's best for all students in the district."

"The PLAN" is on a fast track so that the school board can make its first decisions in February. With data culled from various committee reports, consultant analyses and other sources, the committee started its work with a rough spreadsheet and a set of assumptions.

Some key considerations include:

-- Elementary schools with a capacity of 300 or fewer students, projected enrollment of fewer than 200 students and/or a utilization rate of 70 percent or less will be considered for closure or realignment. If enrollment projections hold true, as many as 14 elementary schools could be closed or reconfigured over the next 10 years.

-- All secondary schools will be considered for closure or reconfiguration; the district may need to close two middle schools and one high school in the next 10 years.

-- The district does not desire widespread reconfiguration of grade levels, such as K-8, Pre-2 or 3-5, but will consider such programs where they make sense.

-- Boundaries must be redrawn as the plan is implemented.

-- Programs that do not result in academic growth should be eliminated.

-- Programs that have shown consistent, measurable growth, such as Reading First, should be used in all schools.

-- Programs that run across all grade levels, such as an arts or science magnet program, should be well-developed and have a well-defined feeder system, but should not be excessively duplicated.

-- Decisions will be based on data and what's best for the most students, and not on emotional pleas from parents and neighborhoods about a particular building.

The first draft plan includes some candidates for closure - mostly schools that have been on previous lists. But there are also alternatives to closure for most, and multiple scenarios for how an overall 10-year plan might play out.

Poore emphasized that programs are generally being considered separately from buildings because they can be moved to other locations.

For example, he said, if the district adds International Baccalaureate programs it must consider the cost of teacher training, curriculum and the like. The district has IB programs at Midland Elementary School, North Middle School and Palmer High School.

If elementary feeder programs are added, the question becomes whether they should be in the four quadrants of the district or in one central location, he said.

One option mentioned in a draft plan is to house a 1st through 8th grade IB program in North Middle School. North now offers the academically rigorous program in grades 6-8, alongside a regular middle school program.

The draft plan was the subject last week of a daylong meeting of principals or other administrators from every school in the district. Other possible targets for adding an IB program include Bates, Chipeta, Freedom, King, McAuliffe and Steele elementary schools.

The same types of scenarios are being considered for other programs, such as arts and math/science/technology magnets.
Poore said many changes are being made on the document in preparation for a second meeting with the principals and staff members on Wednesday.

Poore told the school board Wednesday that the committee is on track to have a revised plan to the board in late December or early January, and that he is pleased the school administrators are working in partnership to plan for the entire district rather than focusing on their own schools. A series of public meetings on the plan is scheduled Jan. 6-20.

The draft plan also contains a working timeline, with the first changes coming next fall and more being phased in over the next 10 years.

Under one scenario, Longfellow and Buena Vista schools would close at the end of this school year, Trailblazer Elementary would begin to phase in a preschool-8th grade program, administrative functions in a leased building would move to Wasson High School and the Bijou Alternative School would move into the Buena Vista building. This plan would also consolidate Bristol and Washington elementaries and redraw boundaries on the west side of the district.

Longfellow students would be moved to Audubon and Twain elementaries and the Colorado Springs Children's Chorale and the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony would move into the building, paying their own maintenance costs.

In year two, this scenario calls for closing Hunt and Whittier elementaries, and continued moves of administration into Wasson along with moving incoming 9th graders to Mitchell High School.

Year three would see the closure of Edison Elementary, moving all administrative functions to Wasson and moving more students out of the high school.

In year four, the scenario has Pike Elementary closing, and in year five, Ivywild Elementary and Galileo Middle School would close.

If more closures were needed, Columbia Elementary could close in year six, Jefferson Elementary in year seven and Irving Middle School in year nine.

But that is just one scenario, and it already is undergoing changes, Poore said. Details and pros and cons of various moves are being added to the document to help the board make its final decisions.

One key in any plan will be finding a home next year for the Bijou Alternative Schools to eliminate the need for portable buildings on its current site, 730 N. Walnut St.

Some suggested locations are: Buena Vista, Hunt, Ivywild, Lincoln, Pike or Whittier elementary schools or Irving Middle School, although a western location is prefered by the district.

Another idea floated in the first draft was to make Stratton Elementary and Mann Middle School one PreK-8th grade campus, with one principal.

The entire plan, Poore said, is about setting priorities so that D-11 can run more efficiently while meeting its student achievement goals.