The Spokane (Wash.) district hopes to build three middle schools starting in 2021 in anticipation of moving sixth-grade students out of elementary school.
The Spokane Spokesman-Review reports that four sites have been proposed: one in northeast Spokane, another in northwest Spokane and two locations on the south side, near U.S. Highway 195.
In June, the school board to move sixth-grade students into middle school. The grade configuration changes are in response to increasing enrollment and statewide K-3 class-size reduction, as well as mandatory full-day kindergarten.
Each middle school will cost roughly $38 million, officials say. Construction of the middle schools won’t start until 2021, pending voter approval of a bond.
Adding three new middle schools will necessitate changing attendance boundaries. In anticipation of that, the district has assembled a boundary study group that will examine the impacts of boundary change proposals.
The decision to move sixth-graders into middle school came after the district received input from school staff and community members.
In a poll of 3,720 parents, school staff and community members, 91 percent had “positive thoughts” about a K-5, 6-8, 9-12 grade configuration model.
About 63 percent of districts in the state have a K-5 configuration; 23 percent of districts have a K-6 setup; and 8 percent have a K-8 configuration.
