Letitia Carson Elementary would be closed under newly revised school consolidation recommendations issued by School Superintendent Ryan Noss. He anticipates the move would save the District about $1 million yearly.
Noss’ recommendations were released yesterday, Wednesday, October 22. A Community Feedback Session is set for 6:30 to 8 pm, Monday, October 27 at Letitia Carson. Public testimony will be taken at the School Board meetings set for October 30 and November 13. It is possible the Board could make a decision at the latter of those meetings.
If the Board chooses to proceed, 44% of the students now attending Letitia Carson would move to Bessie Coleman. This means Bessie Coleman’s projected enrollment would reach about 500 students, spanning kindergarten through sixth grade, in 2026-27. The recommendation says that Bessie Coleman, as one of the District’s newest facilities, is designed to accommodate this volume of students.
32% of students currently attending Letitia Carson would move to Mountain View. That would put Mountain View’s projected enrollment at 420 students, spanning kindergarten through eighth grade, in 2026-27, according to the recommendations.
21% of students attending Letitia Carson would move to Kathryn Jones Harrison as the new “sister school” for Garfield. This means Kathryn Jones Harrison’s projected enrollment would be about 330 students, spanning kindergarten through sixth grade, in 2026-27.
Under the newest recommendations, the District would still close Cheldelin Middle School and consider closing Crescent Valley High School during the 28/29 school year, or when enrollments dip below 2025 students.
New school boundaries
Students currently enrolled at Letitia Carson Elementary will be distributed as follows say the recommendations:
Students living in the Mountain View boundary who are attending Letitia Carson on a transfer, and those students living east of Highway 99W, will attend Mountain View K-8.
Students living in the Garfield boundary who are attending Letitia Carson on a transfer, or because they are unable to participate in the dual language immersion program, will attend Kathryn Jones Harrison.
Students living west of Highway 99W will attend Bessie Coleman.
Kathryn Jones Harrison will become Garfield’s “sister school.” This means that students who move into the Garfield boundary after 2nd grade and are unable to participate in the dual language immersion program will be placed at Kathryn Jones Harrison.
Yes, that’s all a little confusing. It comes directly from the recommendations report. We assume a map will eventually be released.
The context
Like many school districts nationwide, Corvallis’ public schools are seeing falling enrollments as birth rates have declined. State school funding is based on the number of students enrolled. And when campuses start getting emptier with fewer enrollees, it can make sense to pay for fewer campuses and use the savings to keep various educational programs staffed and operating.
In some ways, districts have to choose between having enough staff and increasingly empty campuses. Most, like Corvallis, are choosing to combine schools and consolidate.
Corvallis’s schools are projecting a $3.8 million annual shortfall, closing a Middle School or High School saves about $2 million. Closing an elementary school saves about $1 million.
Our analysis
Closing a campus is painful for everyone concerned. Materially there is always something lost when that happens.
Noss’ initial recommendations were to close only Cheldelin for now, but this alone wasn’t going to bridge the District’s budget gap, so the Board asked for another option.
Noss’ revised recommendations, like his original set, are based on the work of a District formed community group, the Long Range Facilities Planning Committee. Most observers see that committee as having deeply considered a wide range of factors and having produced a considerable set of findings. They are widely seen as having produced serious work.
Noss assessed that Letitia Carson, or another elementary school, may need to be closed in three to four years. For the Board, the choice probably comes down to pain now, or pain later.
Now, means immediate savings that can stem the flow of lost programs. Later, means a longer look for other solutions. But will there be other solutions, really. Will now versus later make a difference in public sentiment, and should that be a deciding factor.
Noss won’t be making these decisions. The Board will.
One wonders if closing Crescent Valley High now instead of later could be an answer. But given current high school enrollments, the district doesn’t see that as a material option until the 28/29 school year. At today’s enrollments, neither of the district’s two high school campuses could accommodate the students from both schools.
We continue to believe folks boundaried into Mountain View should be provided with transfer options. Not all parents see the K-8 model as best for all kids, other parents love it.
Here are Ryan Noss’ Revised School Consolidation Recommendations.
You can email the School board: schoolboard@corvallis.k12.or.us
We asked the School District if remote attendance at the Feedback Session would be possible and if other sessions may be scheduled. At press time, the district had not responded.
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