New Wichita school boundary plan scales back some changes

A new attendance boundary plan presented to Wichita school board members Monday would close four elementary schools, relocate Northeast Magnet High School and keep most high school assignments the same.

Superintendent John Allison said he doesn’t know precisely how many of the district’s 50,000 students would be forced to change schools under his proposal.

But several board members said they want to know that and other details before they vote later this month.

“I would like to have some idea of … how many kids are being affected,” said board member Sheril Logan. “Are we talking about 10 kids, or are we talking about 300?”

Some boundary changes, particularly at the high school level, have been scaled back from earlier drafts to reduce the number of students switching schools, Allison said.

“While there will never be a perfect proposal, (this plan) … will at least minimize (the impact) as much as possible,” he said.

The proposal, presented to board members at a special informational meeting Monday, suggests closing four elementary schools: Bryant, Emerson, Lincoln and Mueller.

Board member Lanora Nolan questioned the plan to close Bryant and asked Allison to “look at the viability” of closing Black Elementary instead. Black, a traditional magnet, is less than a mile east of Bryant, a core knowledge magnet.

Nolan said the proposed plan would require Bryant students to cross busy roads and major intersections to get to their new schools.

Also, she said, Black students would have the option of three other traditional magnets, while Bryant students who want to remain in the core knowledge program would have to travel to Minneha, nearly 13 miles away.

“I’m sure that (closing Black) was considered, and I would like to have that seriously revisited as an option,” Nolan said.

That led to a tense exchange between Nolan and board president Betty Arnold, who called the suggestion a “game changer” and urged her to focus questions only on the superintendent’s proposal.

“I was just going to ask what some of that decision-making was,” Nolan responded. “It was my understanding that that’s what tonight was about.”

Allison said several schools were considered for closure. Consultants and district officials chose the final four based on factors such as building condition, enrollment, type of program and proximity to other schools, he said.

Allison says cuts in state per-pupil funding means the district will have to close some schools in order to staff and operate new ones being built as part of a $370 million bond issue.

Five new schools would open this fall: a new Northeast Magnet High School at 53rd North and Rock Road; a neighborhood magnet elementary – proposed to be Isely Traditional Magnet – at 53rd North and Woodlawn; a K-8 near 143rd East and Pawnee; Ortiz Elementary at 33rd North and Arkansas; and the new Lewis/South elementary near 31st South and Seneca.

The new high school would not open as a comprehensive high school, as planned in the 2008 bond issue, so nearby Heights High could still be near or over capacity, Allison said.

Board member Connie Dietz suggested reserving seats at Northeast Magnet for students from the Heights attendance area. She asked Allison to present “possible scenarios” at the board’s meeting next week.

“We can make any potential scenario work,” Allison responded. “But … when we bring those back, I want to be able to lay out what some of the dominoes could be.”

Board members are expected to discuss Allison’s proposal next week. They will vote on a final plan Feb. 27, and the new boundaries would go into effect next school year.

Here is a detailed look at the superintendent’s proposal:

High schools

Middle schools

Elementary schools

This story was originally published February 6, 2012 at 5:00 AM with the headline "New Wichita school boundary plan scales back some changes."