Thread: AZ: Mesa Public Schools expect to lose 2,000 students this y

Mesa Public Schools expect to lose 2,000 students this year
3 commentsJul. 29, 2009 11:11 AM
The Arizona Republic .

Major changes are on the horizon for Mesa Public Schools. In coming months, officials will likely consider realigning grade levels; reconfiguring or closing some of its regular and alternative schools; and changing the way it goes about closing schools. School board president Mike Hughes said the district now faces a "crossroads" because of the economy, new immigration laws and continued declining student enrollment. "We need to look at everything," Hughes said.

- Ray Parker/The Republic/azcentral.com


FEWER STUDENTS
Mesa schools have enrolled some 5,000 fewer students the past five years, and officials expect to lose another 2,000 this school year, which begins August 12.

Fewer students mean less money from the state, which pays districts according to enrollment. The 2,000 fewer students will translate into a loss of about $10 million in funding.

School board members said the drop could be attributed to the district reaching its building capacity and the transformation of older neighborhoods, such as the Dobson Ranch neighborhood.

But they also pointed to the state law that penalizes employers of undocumented immigrants, whose children attend public schools with no questions asked. Board member David Lane said he knows of families that moved to New Mexico.

Whatever the reason, the student declines mean officials will likely restructure and/or close schools in the coming school year. The board members discussed the changes during a recent retreat and said more information would be available in the coming months.

GRADE RECONFIGURATION

Mesa schools currently have different grade configurations than many of its neighboring districts. Superintendent Mike Cowan,who has been in the district for over 20 years, said Mesa never went through the changes because at the time, about a decade ago, it had a drastic student enrollment boom.

But today, with declining enrollment, officials said it's time to look into changing what grades are at what schools.

Current grade configurations: Elementary: K-6; Junior High: 7-9; High School: 10-12.

Possible grade changes: Elementary: K-5; Junior High: 6-8; High School: 9-12.

Educators said the grade shift could have many advantages, including smaller elementary school class sizes. In addition, freshmen may take their high school classes more seriously.

Board president Hughes said sixth-graders are a lot different than 20 years ago: "To me this makes a lot of sense."

For example, Jordan Elementary had 600 students on May 2 (the end of the last school year), while it's expected to have 480 this school year. Under the possible grade reconfiguration, the school would have an estimated 425 students.

Here are enrollment figures for Jordan's feeder schools.


• Hendrix Junior High: 785 students on May 2; 785 expected this fall; and 760 under grade reconfiguration.


• Dobson High: 2,150 students on May 2; 2,275 expected this fall; and 2,750 under reconfiguration.

CLOSING SCHOOLS

In April 2008, the Mesa school board unanimously voted to keep open Jordan Elementary, a Mesa school located in Northern Chandler.

For three months, Jordan parents had protested closing the school, which a district citizen's committee had recommended closing because of declines in student enrollment in the area.

Ultimately, the board questioned if closing the school was worth the estimated $750,000 savings.

Officials now say they need a lot more information before considering closing a school, such as the potential savings and what will happen to the building.

Hughes said it's important the board not drag out the process, while member Steven Peterson said it's important the board consider the additional cost of closing a school, which one study put from $300,000 to $1 million.

FOCUS SCHOOLS

Mesa has nine campuses it calls Focus Schools, which are alternative schools for students who either have behavioral problems or don't fit into a traditional campus. Officials said the programs can be very expensive because the state does not provide additional money for them, while the student enrollment can fluctuate drastically throughout the school year.

Officials said they would look in the coming year at different models and possibly reconfiguring campuses.

www.azcentral.com

Get rid of all the anchors and they will save even more money.

Mesa schools have enrolled some 5,000 fewer students the past five years, and officials expect to lose another 2,000 this school year, which begins August 12.

Fewer students mean less money from the state, which pays districts according to enrollment. The 2,000 fewer students will translate into a loss of about $10 million in funding.

School board members said the drop could be attributed to the district reaching its building capacity and the transformation of older neighborhoods, such as the Dobson Ranch neighborhood.

But they also pointed to the state law that penalizes employers of undocumented immigrants, whose children attend public schools with no questions asked. Board member David Lane said he knows of families that moved to New Mexico.

They can't be that dumb can they?? That $10 million is paid by TAXPAYERS, so it's a savings for taxpayers, not a loss!

Plus the additional savings of not having to pay welfare for the anchor kids - a HUGE savings.

Tell me how this is a bad thing?

I'd love to know how much higher taxes in NM will be for the taxpayers after thousands of illegal aliens move in.

Arizona is on the right road, so is Oklahoma. Good for them!

But they also pointed to the state law that penalizes employers of undocumented immigrants, whose children attend public schools with no questions asked. Board member David Lane said he knows of families that moved to New Mexico.

Well well well, who'd a thunk it? Enforcing immigration laws works - illegal aliens move elsewhere!! Now if all states would just do this!

Fewer students mean less money from the state, which pays districts according to enrollment. The 2,000 fewer students will translate into a loss of about $10 million in funding.

So the state of Arizona will SAVE 10 million dollars. Refund it to tax-payers. This attitude by the Mesa school district that they will "lose" 10 million is part of the problem in this country. They won't NEED the 10 million if they have fewer students. This is a good thing!!

They can't be that dumb can they??

Oh yes they can....and they are!!!!!

Oklahoma and Arizona have both implemented bills that enforce immigration laws resulting in ILLEGALS leaving their states and returning to their home country or moving to another state in the United States to drain their resources. Of course the Chamber of Commerce will fight losing their ILLEGALS; the Chamber of Commerce always claims to follow Immigration Laws but continuously become confused about the interpretation of the law.