Sunday, November 11, 2007

Is "second shift" the solution to overcrowding?

A couple of years back, the Racine area school district commissioned a long-term facilities study. While not much has been written about the Paullin study, I would like to talk about one aspect of it briefly today.

In this study, it was pointed out that the big 3 high schools (Case, Horlick and Park) were originally designed for 1200-1400 students, yet we have 2000-2200 students in these schools. They were overcrowded way back when I started high school, and the problem definitely escalated the year I was a senior - this the year 9th graders were moved to our high schools.

Why move an additional 500-600 students into already crowded schools? It has been explained to me that the most accurate data model the district had in 1983 had projected the district was going to lose 7000 students within a very short amount of time. The district was going to go from 22,000 to 15,000 students , so the move made sense at the time.

Of course nearly 25 years later, we have seen that this did NOT happen. The district may have lost some students, but there are still over 21,000 students being serviced by RUSD - and our high schools are still dangerously overcrowded.

Other communites, like West Bend, are coming up with some creative ways to address overcrowding. Ironically, one of the ideas suggested for West Bend has been proposed by a former RUSD board member in the past - having the high schools operate on a split-shift schedule.

Is this a viable solution to help solve the over-crowding at our high schools?

Of course, the easiest solution would be to remove the 9th graders from the high schools, but in order for that to happen the district's 6th graders need to return to the elementary builidings. Because of the recently expanded 4 and 5 year old kindergarten programming, there is no longer room in these buildings for the 6th graders. So now, new buildings need to be built somewhere in the community.

I believe RUSD must soon address the over-crowding in our high schools. They have been overcrowded for decades, and some kind of decision is long overdue.

If you were in charge, how would you meet this challenge? Build more buildings, create a split-shift schedule, or some other solution?

18 comments:

Caledonia Unplugged said...

So essentially, do you feel the expanded kindergarten program is preventing a return to 1-6, 7-9, 10-12? I haven't followed the issue closely, but can't say I'm definitely in favor of four-year old kindergarten - seems to me like taxpayers are funding babysitting.

OK, I'm old. I went through St. Cat's and I remember distinctly when Case was built - some of my friends left St. Cat's for "the new high school" Case. Enrollment at St. cat's (late 60s, early 70s) was approximately 1,000 kids (200-300 in each class of 9-12). I remember Case having about double the enrollment of St. Cat's even at that time. Obviously enrollment has dropped somewhat, but they've since added 9th grade. My question, what's making the overcrowding more of an issue now than it was then?

On a side note, recently there was an article about a woman upset that her three-year old (developmentally disabled) had been restrained at school?

Since then, I've wondered, and maybe you can answer my question...what is a three-year old doing in school?

Brenda said...

Regarding the expansion of the kindergarten programs and moving 9th grade back to junior high, and 6th grade back to elementary, the lack of space is a HUGE obstacle.

Preschool while I think is fundamental for many children, I'm not quite sure if universal preschool should be paid for with our taxes. I'm not entirely sure if the families that are now taking advantage of "free" preschool weren't already sending their children to preschool. While my feelings are uncertain, it doesn't really matter because the district offers it, and I know once they start receiving full funding for these children, they will never stop.

Finally, developmentally challenged are offered early childhood classes to get them ready for kindergarten and 1st grade.

There are "Birth to 3" programs in every county in Wisconsin. In eastern Racine county, the school district administers this program.

Up until last year, the county administerd the Birth to 3 program for the communities west of the I.

Thanks for posting something easy to answer, now I have to address your comments on the "other" posting.

Caledonia Unplugged said...

Who administers the Birth to 3 in other counties? Is Unified handling this just to up their money from the state?

I guess you didn't understand the premise of my question. There are basically the same number of kids in these high schools (even with grade reconfiguration) that there have been for the past 40 years (that's as far as back as my first hand knowledge goes.)

Why is the overcrowding more of a pressing issue now?

Brenda said...

I forget that many people may not remember the history. The last time we had a major redistricting when we moved the 9th graders to high school, the district CLOSED/SOLD some elementary buildings (in anticipation of the great exodus that never came to be).

Two such schools immediately come to mind - Trautwein is now a strip mall (on the NW corner of Spring and 31), and a HUGE school (Lincoln) was sold and converted to senior assisted living.

Franklin School was also closed as an elementary school, and Walden III moved in there when their original school was torn down.

Add to the mix that the district, because of IDEA and other federal legislation, now must provide services they did not have to provide back then, and you can start to understand the problem of overcrowding.

Now add that we provide services to many 4 year olds that we have never done before, and the problem only escalates.

We have also added a couple of charter schools since then and have them sharing space with "regular" schools - not an ideal solution for anyone concerned.

I hope this answers your concerns!!

Brenda said...

The "smaller" counties in the state admininister the Birth to 3 programs. Only in the larger urban counties (Milwaukee, Kenosha, Racine, Dane) do the school districts administer the Birth to 3 programs.These large districts have the resources already, so having the county provide them as well is just a duplication of service.

In fact, just until June 30th of this year, the county oversaw Birth to 3 for the Racine county communities west of the interstate. McReynolds decided that the county was getting out of the "special education business" - a good move for those children? I guess we will wait and see the results - its too soon to tell.

Brenda said...

Since we are revisting history - I thought I would point out that the law now states a child must attend school until their 18th birthday.

Back in the day, we allowed children, with parental permission, to drop out at age 16.

Also, for a while our high schools were using a split schedule to address the overcrowding issue - the Modular System.

I believe this was discontinued around 1980 or so, after the very last baby boomers left high school.

Anonymous said...

Easy solution. Stop providing 4 Year old K'garten. Expand School Choice to Racine City and watch the spaces open up. Over crowding, over. Cost per student drops dramatically. Racine's student scores improve, and drop-out rates drop. Graduates are more employable, good jobs follow, income grows, Racine gets better!!! People stay and earn more person, etc., etc., etc.

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