Scottsdale Unified School District wrapped up its quest to examine program capacity in the district, finding the Chaparral and Desert Mountain learning communities to be largely under capacity.
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Scottsdale Unified School District wrapped up its quest to examine program capacity in the district, finding the Chaparral and Desert Mountain learning communities to be largely under capacity.
Between the two communities, district officials said at the Nov. 5 special meeting Cocopah Middle School and Cheyenne Traditional School have limited capacity on specific grade levels or program. Though most schools had an excess capacity of a couple hundred or more.
These studies are part of an ongoing effort to measure excess capacity in the district’s five learning communities prior to a Dec. 1 deadline, per district policy. The district presented capacity numbers of the other communities earlier in the year.
The purpose of the studies is to provide the district context for future decisions, including open enrollment, regarding the schools. This allows the superintendent to estimate any potential reductions to capacity.
Governing Board President Patty Beckman highlighted the efforts of district officials in working with school principals and going room to room to assess uses.
“I know it was an interesting process but really important as we all understand the programs and how each of these schools are run and the rooms are actually used for our kids,” she said. “So thank you.”
Program capacity is the number of students accommodated in each classroom without significant physical alterations. The district defines a standard classroom as 750 square feet. Rooms less than 750 square feet, used for athletics, office space and libraries, among others, do not factor into the calculations.
To determine capacity at an elementary school level, the district multiplied the staffing standard for each grade and the number of sections for each grade. The staffing standard is the ideal class size, rather than a hard cap although the hard cap is not much higher than the standard.
For secondary, district officials multiply the physical capacity by 0.85. The 85% factor accounts for teachers’ preparation periods.
In the Chaparral Learning Community, the study yielded the following results as of Sept. 6:
Cherokee Elementary School: 54 excess capacity with 763 students attending a school with a program capacity of 817;
Cochise Elementary School: 91 excess capacity with 648 students attending a school with a program capacity of 739;
Sequoya Elementary School: 182 excess capacity with 476 students attending a school with a program capacity of 658;
Copper Ridge School: 950 excess capacity with 665 students attending a school with a program capacity of 1,615;
Cocopah: 48 excess capacity with 906 students attending a school with a program capacity of 954; and
Chaparral High School: 307 excess capacity with 2,358 students attending a school with a program capacity of 2,665.
District officials did note the program capacity for Cherokee is based on the renovation project underway.
Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education Dr. Milissa Sackos said Chaparral has 12 classrooms that were just under the 750 square feet limit but she decided to include them with a smaller capacity of 25 rather than the staffing standard of 33.
Dr. Sackos also noted Chaparral could welcome more students but it would present potential parking issues for the already limited parking situation at the school.
In the Desert Mountain Learning Community, the study yielded the following results as of Sept. 6:
Anasazi Elementary School: 228 excess capacity with 436 students attending a school with a program capacity of 664;
Desert Canyon Elementary: 215 excess capacity with 490 students attending a school with a program capacity of 705;
Laguna Elementary School: 301 excess capacity with 433 students attending a school with a program capacity of 734;
Redfield Elementary School: 302 excess capacity with 494 students attending a school with a program capacity of 796;
Cheyenne K-8: 65 excess capacity with 935 students attending a school with a program capacity of 1,000;
Desert Canyon Middle: 585 excess capacity with 508 students attending a school with a program capacity of 1,093;
Mountainside Middle School: 698 excess capacity with 592 students attending a school with a program capacity of 1,290; and
Desert Mountain High School: 267 excess capacity with 2,062 students attending a school with a program capacity of 2,329.
The next step for the district is to bring forth specific recommendations regarding open enrollment at specific schools. That item will begin deliberations at the Nov. 19 meeting.
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