The school board of Carpentersville-based District 300 plans to use a strategy similar to one that helped pass an $88 million referendum issue on another controversial issue–boundary changes.
At Monday’s meeting, the board approved forming an Attendance Boundary Committee, made up of parents, teachers and district staff members. Unlike the Facility Advisory Committee for Education, whose recommendations for the November referendum measure the school board agreed in advance to approve, the boundary committee will advise the board, which will have the final say on boundary changes.
“This process has appeared to work previously, and hopefully it will here,” said Chuck Bumbales, principal of accountability for the district. He will be the committee’s facilitator.
The group will address boundary changes only at the elementary and middle school levels.
While boundary change proposals in the past were faced with easing overcrowding at each of the district’s schools, this group will have the luxury of working with as many as four new elementary schools expected to open for the 2002-03 school year. Attendance growth in the district, which has averaged 500 students per year over the last 10 years, has been highest at the elementary level.
“We see this as a very positive initiative,” Bumbales said. “This is a much better situation for us.”
The committee will be made up of 15 parent representatives from each of the district’s elementary and middle schools, five teachers and two co-leaders. In addition, district staff members from areas affected by the changes, including transportation, data processing and special education, will assist the panel.
Work is expected to begin as early as February and should be completed in two to three months. Recommendations will be presented to the board at the first meeting in May.
