Bloomington school officials are getting closer to making district-wide boundary changes that could affect about 1,000 elementary students next fall.
The school board on Monday plans to discuss two boundary maps at a meeting that was moved up to give parents time to review them before input meetings this month.
Officials say new attendance lines will address two types of disparities between elementary schools. First, some schools are overcrowded while others are under capacity. Second, there is a 65 percent gap between schools in the number of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
A 34-member task force, including parents, board members, district staff and community members, chose two boundary maps out of five that best reduce disparities. Both maps will close the socioeconomic gap to about 58 percent. The only difference between the two maps is whether to include Hillcrest Community School, now a choice school that students can apply to regardless of where they live.
The board is expected to vote Jan. 10 on which map to adopt.
Jim Sorum, chairman of the school board, said the board will take feedback from parents at meetings on Dec. 15 and Dec. 18. "Part of our effort is to keep things as transparent as we can," he said.
Dick Bergstrom, whose third-grade son will probably have to switch schools next year, said he thinks officials aren't being upfront with how much socioeconomic disparities are driving changes. He said he would like them to consider other methods to reduce gaps.
"I see this much more as a Band-Aid," he said.
