Reducing Unnecessary School Transitions for Students

71% of respondents identified this theme as Very Important or Important, and 482 respondents provided comments.

Topics raised by commenters who identified this theme as Very Important or Important include:

• The connection between student stability and well-being
• Fostering a stronger sense of community and belonging through fewer transitions
• Simplifying logistics for families, particularly for transportation drop-off, and pick-up for siblings
• Consistency in schooling options for students with special needs
• The benefits of some transitions

29% of respondents identified this theme as Somewhat Important or Not at All Important, and 165 respondents provided comments.

Topics raised by commenters who identified this theme as Somewhat Important or Not at All Important include:

• The necessity of some transitions and importance for students to learn to adjust, build resilience, and develop the self-autonomy needed to succeed in high school and college
• Inappropriateness of mixing younger and older students, which could lead to bullying, exposure to mature behaviors, or safety issues
• Middle school spaces and buildings being better suited for students both academically and socio-emotionally

Reinvesting in Neighborhood High Schools as Community Anchors

85% of respondents identified this theme as Very Important or Important, and 838 respondents provided comments.

Topics raised by commenters who identified this theme as Very Important or Important include:

• Investing in neighborhood high schools so students don’t have to travel long distances for a good education
• Offering diverse, practical programs, including vocational/trade programs (welding, mechanics, CDL training) alongside advanced academic courses, sports, and arts
• Improving learning spaces to promote learning
• Modernizing old buildings, cleaning bathrooms, and fixing HVAC systems
• Ensuring sufficient staffing, particularly of social workers, counselors, and special education teachers
• Improving the supports for children with disabilities
• Schools becoming community anchors by building partnerships, increasing access to mental health supports, and opening facilities for community use after hours

15% of respondents identified this theme as Somewhat Important or Not at All Important, and 41 respondents provided comments.

Topics raised by commenters who identified this theme as Somewhat Important or Not at All Important include:

• Prioritizing K-8 schools as community anchors over neighborhood high schools
• Overcrowding in schools leading to unsafe environments
• Increasing staffing to ensure safety
• The importance of libraries and counselors for all schools

Expanding Access to 5-12 Criteria-Based Schools

75% of respondents identified this theme as Very Important or Important, and 547 respondents provided comments.

Topics raised by commenters who identified this theme as Very Important or Important include:

• Importance of reinvesting in neighborhood schools (AP classes, arts, safety) so that criteria schools aren’t the only option for a quality education
• Suggestions to remove barriers such as the lottery system and inequitable access to prerequisite courses (e.g., 8th Grade Algebra)
• The need for high-quality schools in every neighborhood
• Support for expanding the Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways for students alongside college prep
• Concerns that expanding programs in existing buildings will exacerbate overcrowding and displace special education resources

25% of respondents identified this theme as Somewhat Important or Not at All Important, and 159 respondents provided comments.

Topics raised by commenters who identified this theme as Somewhat Important or Not at All Important include:

• Fear that expanding criteria-based schools drains resources from neighborhood schools, creating a “two-tier” system
• Concerns that “expanding access” means overcrowding the existing high-performing schools without adding necessary staff, diminishing the quality that made them desirable in the first place
• Concerns that expanding seats is useless if students who live farther away cannot safely or reliably commute to them

What additional opportunities do you see for strengthening school programming or student experiences in your neighborhood?

2,861 respondents provided comments.

Topics raised by commenters include:

• More after-school activities that are safe, reliable, and provide variety, including sports, arts, STEM, and music; with additional mentions for opportunities specifically for middle school students
• Bringing back vocational training, home economics, and life skill classes
• The need for adequate staffing, particularly for Special Education and English Learners
• Addressing violence and bullying
• Modernizing facilities—including cleaning bathrooms, improving HVAC systems, and building full-service kitchens
• Increasing security, mental health counselors, outdoor play spaces, and “safe corridors” for students walking to school
• Partnering with local businesses, universities, and organizations, or mentorship, internships, and “real-world” learning
• Tutoring and supports for students who are struggling or need more one-on-one attention
• More hands-on learning and a reduced dependence on Chromebooks to improve student engagement
• Using school buildings for community workshops and activities
• Better communication between schools and parents, and more opportunities for parents to be involved in school activities
• More equitable funding across the District to ensure all neighborhood schools are strong options

Is there anything else else about your school community we should be considering as we plan this work?

2,525 respondents provided comments.

Topics raised by commenters include:

• Upgrading facilities at specific schools, such as functional HVAC systems, clean and modern bathrooms, and ADA compliance
• Making school environments safer, including increased security, more crossing guards, and better traffic management during dismissal
• Increasing dedicated spaces and resources for science, art, tutoring, Special Education, and English Learners
• Reducing class sizes
• Better, more transparent communication from administration regarding school closures
• Bringing back vocational, home economics, and life skill classes
• Strengthening connections between schools and local institutions
• Better training for teachers (especially regarding student trauma and autism spectrum disorder)
• Providing “equitable access” to quality programs and resources, ensuring that neighborhood schools have the same resources and programmatic opportunities as special admission or charter schools
• Avoiding neighborhood school closures, which hurts the community
• Funding for libraries and certified school librarians
• Fair compensation for educators and staff

2 | Overcrowding

There were 94 comments about Overcrowding.

• Buildings and classes are over capacity with teachers having to struggle to make it through crowded hallways, resulting in less teaching. There are not enough bathrooms for students and teachers.
• There are concerns about the electric grid capacity with the number of Chromebooks.
• Remember that there are additional programs in schools aside from traditional SDP students who may be affected.
• It’s difficult to service ESOL students appropriately when buildings are overenrolled.
• Solutions are needed to overcrowding by August.
• Overcrowding is leading to mental health issues in students like anxiety.
• It is difficult for both students and teachers with such crowded conditions.

3 | Programming

There were 85 comments about Programming.

• Stakeholders want existing and potential opportunities for quality programming to be prioritized in decisions about facilities.
• Stakeholders specified wanting more opportunities in the areas of:
  • Career and technical education (CTE)
  • The arts
  • Sports
  • Academics
  • STEM
  • Afterschool
  • Social-emotional learning (SEL)/mindfulness

4 | Cleanliness and Maintenance

There were 59 comments about Cleanliness and Maintenance.

• Stakeholders pointed to the need for more staff to clean common areas within schools.
• Stakeholders expressed a need for a plan to maintain school facilities.
• Stakeholders emphasized the importance of tracking progress on relevant maintenance tasks.

5 | New Buildings

There were 34 comments about New Buildings

• Stakeholders spoke to using funds to invest in additional buildings or schools.
• Stakeholders spoke to making sure the schools are sustainable and have similar spaces as surrounding districts.

6 | Geography

There were 31 comments about Geography.

• Stakeholders emphasized the important role of neighborhood schools, including in:
  • Maintaining strong attendance
  • Decreasing children’s time spent on buses
  • Keeping students in the district

7 | Community

There were 24 comments about Community.

• Stakeholders spoke to the important role that schools play in the fabric of the larger community, specifically:
  • Partnering with community rec centers
  • Letting the community use some of the school property on the weekends such as basketball courts and parking lots
  • Having more community partnerships to increase the positive perception of a school

8 | Modernization

There were 21 comments about Modernization.

• There are many ways the schools need to be modernized, including:
  • Electrical and wifi upgrades
  • Auditoriums
  • Lunch rooms
  • Classrooms
  • School yards
  • Parking lots

9 | Underutilization

There were 21 comments about Underutilization.

• Stakeholders are concerned about schools being incorrectly labeled as under capacity, and also concerned that the benefits of small schools and class sizes are not being recognized.
• Stakeholders offered creative solutions for better using “underutilized” schools.
• One stakeholder pointed out that if schools are repaired or renovated, they will attract increased enrollment.

Additional Concerns

There were 74 comments addressing Additional Concerns.

• Negative Climate/Staff Morale: Poor building conditions can negatively affect staff morale, which then impacts teacher retention.
• Stakeholders are interested in creative, community-focused solutions for repurposing buildings
• Students raised concerns about having something at the school, but not have access to it (e.g., elevators, bathrooms, desks/chairs for classes).
• Students would like additional spaces for things like being able to de-stress and have recess.