Possible boundary changes are on the horizon for Dysart Unified School District.District officials are using enrollment and growth and trend data to determine facility and staffing needs for the …
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Possible boundary changes for 2 DUSD schools
District looks at El Mirage, Luke elementaries
Posted
By Jennifer Jimenez
Possible boundary changes are on the horizon for Dysart Unified School District.
District officials are using enrollment and growth and trend data to determine facility and staffing needs for the entire district. Information items were presented to the DUSD Governing Board Feb. 26.
Kevin Shipman, planning administrator for the district, presented the revised boundary map for the south portion of the district for the 2020-21 school year. The change effects approximately one-quarter of a mile.
“There are 226 elementary students in this area and 155 attend Luke Elementary, while the others are dispersed elsewhere across the district due to school choice,” Mr. Shipman said. “The motivation for the change is because the district is always undertaking the task of using resources efficiently and eliminate some bus routes and improve the efficiency of others.”
DUSD is looking toward long-term projections and trying to position for the future to ensure schools are undertaking a healthy population. That is the reason for the possible change.
“The boundary change normalizes enrollment in both schools and ensures one will not be below the mark and the other at capacity,” Mr. Shipman said.
DUSD has proposed targeted communication for mid-March. A boundary information meeting is set for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 31 at Luke Elementary, 7300 N. Dysart Road, Glendale.
El Mirage has planned an information meeting at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2.
A public meeting will take place Wednesday, April 8 before the governing board meeting with a possible vote taking place by the board on Wednesday, April 22.
Ground summer school in works
Jim Dean, DUSD’s assistant superintendent for support services, shared information about bringing back ground summer school.
The district has only offered online credit recovery — and as an extension wants to offer an opportunity for students to make up credits via small class sizes, rather than online.
“It will be fee-based and will take care of costs internally and possibly an option to have a summer school administrator as part of the program,” Mr. Dean said. “We are looking to see if that will be covered through student fee cost or if it needs to be discussed further with the governing board.”
The cost is $150 per session, and there will one morning and one afternoon session offered. Each session is worth a half-credit, with potential for students to make up one whole credit if they attend all summer.
The district is also looking into an eighth-grade summer school plan, which will allow those students who do not complete the grade during the regular school year to take summer school to complete the requirement or be retained if they are not ready to move forward.
Dr. Quinn Kellis said the district is still deliberating on whether or not they will run the program for eighth grade this summer or the next.
A vote from the board is forthcoming at a later date.
