Explore all options for Hills school

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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Something clearly has to be done about Hills Elementary in the Iowa City Community School District.

The school is so inefficient, school leaders are seriously weighing whether or not to close the building. It costs more to educate students at Hills than at any of the district's elementary schools; the school has the district's lowest enrollment, and it's dropping - even though districtwide enrollment continues to climb.

But the school also is important to the Hills community. It has a unique character and high parent involvement. It is closer than other elementary schools for many of the district's rural students.

Before they close the school, board members should be sure they've explored every other option - even changes as seemingly bold as establishing a magnet school in the building - that might draw more students and again make it a district asset.

They also should be certain that closing the school actually will save, not just shift, costs.

In a time when the district is building or adding classrooms to accommodate growing enrollment, it seems wasteful to close a building, constructed in 1965, that still is in good shape.

And while it's undeniable that the district spends more per student to educate the children at Hills Elementary, we wonder if closing the school wouldn't just shift some of that spending to other areas. For example, in increased transportation costs to bus the students, who live in Hills and surrounding townships, to other Iowa City elementaries.

Hills has fewer than 100 elementary students - 119 students when you count the preschoolers - which is less than half the building's capacity. Among Hills students, 56 percent qualify for free or reduced lunch.

A dozen Hills students open enroll to other Iowa City elementaries, rather than attend the school, which has been designated in need of assistance under the federal No Child Left Behind law.

But much of the school's decline in enrollment has been due to the district's redistricting decisions. Less than a decade ago, school officials redrew the enrollment boundaries to alleviate overcrowding at the school.

Board members are right: Especially in these tougher economic times, it's critical that all schools operate efficiently. “You can't ignore the economics,” as board member Tuyet Dorau has said.

And we can't argue that simply closing Hills Elementary wouldn't be a simple way to address the high cost of operation.

But it's penny wise and pound-foolish to assume closing Hills is the only - or even the best - way to address the district's pressing financial concerns while taking into account the district's future space and educational needs.

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