Enrollment study committee continues elementary school discussion

CEDAR RAPIDS – The Cedar Rapids school district's enrollment study committee continued the discussion of “supposals” regarding elementary schools Tuesday night.

Committee members began talks about the future of the district's elementary schools earlier this month. Superintendent Dave Benson stressed that a supposal is a starting place to stimulate discussion and reactions.

“We are not yet ready to make recommendations,” Benson said.

The goal of the enrollment study stakeholder committee is to ensure equity and access to programs and services; alleviate overcrowding; consider future development and design; reduce operating costs; establish pure feeder schools; maintain neighborhood schools; and uniform grade configurations (AK-5; 6-8; 9-12).

The committee will meet every other Tuesday through Dec. 20, according to the schedule. The Oct. 4 meeting will be the first in which the district's secondary schools are the main focus.

Comprehensive supposals will be discussed throughout November and December. The 23-member committee is expected to bring recommendations to the school board in late winter/early spring.

The public will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the committee's findings and recommendations.

Copies of the district's enrollment study report, which was produced by RSP & Associates of Overland Park, Kan., and the facilities study report, produced by Shive-Hattery, Inc., are available on the district Website at www.cr.k12.ia.us. Committee members are using the information from these reports to discuss the supposals.

PowerPoint presentations and minutes from each committee meeting also are available on the Website.