What's going on with changing boundaries in the Green Bay School District?

GREEN BAY — The Green Bay School District is scrapping its two boundary options after both the community and the district Boundary Adjustment Advisory Committee said they do not support them.

Interim Superintendent Vicki Bayer is asking the Green Bay School Board on Monday for permission to propose a new third scenario, according to a district memo. This third option would try to minimize student movement at the elementary level.

The district held two community meetings to present the two boundary scenarios and answer questions. It also put out a community survey that garnered about 650 responses.

The majority of respondents were either unsupportive or very unsupportive of both boundary scenarios, and a fifth said they felt neutral about the options.

Why were people opposed to the proposed boundary changes?

About 70% of respondents offered additional feedback, with over 25% citing opposition to changes and school closures, about 18% voicing concerns over student well-being and 15% raising questions about transportation.

Most of the survey responses (43%) came from families living on the district’s east side in the 54311 ZIP code.

One of the most significant objections to the plans is the changes to middle and high school feeder patterns, especially concerns with the effects on co-curriculars and programming, according to an April 8 district memo.

The majority of the Boundary Adjustment Advisory Committee is also unsupportive of the plans, saying they're nonstarters. The committee is a 14-member community group tasked with helping the district develop boundary change recommendations alongside the district's consultant, Woolpert.

A recurring concern was dropping West High's capacity to below 50%, which is proposed under the plan that would keep the building as a traditional high school. Other members raised concerns about transportation, capacity levels and whether the plans are equitable.

Steph Guzman, one of the committee’s members, said the plans are not workable as is.

“These boundary changes, as they are, they do really have far-reaching consequences beyond mere access to educational resources,” she said at the committee’s April 2 meeting.

Marisol Evans, another committee member, is concerned about equity impacts of the proposed changes.

“I don’t see a lot of changes that are for the positive advancement of that equity, nor do I feel that we’ve been equitable in how we’re collecting the feedback,” she said at the April 2 meeting.

“I don’t often feel like our ideas, concerns and feedback are being validated,” Evans continued.

Bridget Van Laanen said she wanted to send the consultants back to the drawing board to rework the east side boundary recommendations, citing capacity and equity concerns.

“We need to actually spend some time and sit down with the stakeholders, whether that’s us or other people, whether you have school-specific listening sessions,” Van Laanen said.

One of her concerns is that in both of Woolpert’s recommendations, Wilder Elementary would go from 93% capacity to 109%. But Martin Elementary, which is only 1.2 miles from Wilder, would maintain its current capacity level of 77%.

What were the boundary changes proposed in the two plans?

Both plans that were presented to the boundary committee in February would alter school feeder patterns and propose different schools to close from those recommended to the board in June.

Both plans recommend closing Howe Elementary and keeping Beaumont Elementary open. They would also keep Washington Middle School open and convert it to a site for 4-year-old kindergarten through eighth grade.

These two boundary scenarios also include the closure of Chappell and Webster elementary schools, which weren't originally recommended to shutter.

One of the main differences between the two plans is whether Franklin Middle becomes a 4K-8 school or a 4K-6 and whether West High remains a traditional high school or becomes a 7-12.

Why is the Green Bay School District changing boundaries?

The district is reconfiguring its facilities to cut costs and operate more efficient schools. Declining enrollment and state education funding that’s lagged inflation for over a decade leaves Green Bay with more schools than it needs or can support.

The board has already voted to close three schools after this school year in response to a community task force’s recommendation to close 12 buildings. More school closures are likely on the horizon.

More: Why is Green Bay closing schools?

Along with closures, the district is looking at readjusting boundaries to fill up schools that are under capacity. The committee is still slated to present boundary recommendations to the board June 10.

While the district has shrunk its $36 million deficit projected for the 2024-25 school year, it’s still facing a future structural deficit.

In September, the district said the deficit will grow to $10.5 million by 2025-26 and then $14.5 million in 2026-27, if changes aren't made.

Danielle DuClos is a Report for America corps member who covers K-12 education for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at dduclos@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @danielle_duclos. You can directly support her work with a tax-deductible donation at GreenBayPressGazette.com/RFA or by check made out to The GroundTruth Project with subject line Report for America Green Bay Press Gazette Campaign. Address: The GroundTruth Project, Lockbox Services, 9450 SW Gemini Drive, PMB 46837, Beaverton, Oregon 97008-7105.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: What's going on with changing Green Bay School District boundaries?