Columbia Public Schools wants feedback on options for next phases of attendance area redraw

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

New boundary changes are being considered for Columbia Public Schools, and the district recently updated its boundary suggestions ahead of a pair of open houses on Tuesday.

The district presented revised maps for Phases 2 and 3 of a plan for new school zones at Monday’s Board of Education meeting after receiving feedback from its most recent boundaries presented in May.

During a May 29 meeting with parents, the Board of Education said it received a lot of feedback on high school boundary changes and some for elementary school changes but did not hear much about possible attendance changes to middle schools. 

The district is taking feedback on the final options online through 5:30 p.m. Friday, according to an email sent to parents. People can leave the district their feedback at cpsk12.org.

Columbia resident Joe Muscato attended Tuesday's open house and said he is happy with the final four options. He originally wasn't happy with the earlier options, and said he was impressed with how the district improved the maps.

"These are really good solutions to a difficult problem of moving students around and making sure the schools are balanced," Muscato said. "So, I think they did a good job. I'm pleased at how they changed it."

Phase 1 of the plans was approved on April 17 and addressed the expansions at Russell Boulevard Elementary. Phase 2 will be implemented in the fall 2025 semester, with Phase 3 beginning in the fall of 2026.

In Monday's board meeting, consultant Karen Jackson with Woolpert, said the main differences between the final four options are that A-1 and A-2 will not move high school boundaries, but are estimated to lead to over-enrollment at Rock Bridge High School in the future.

The main difference between the two A options are attendance areas in the southwest part of the district.

Jackson said B-1 and B-2 would move high school boundaries, but would better even out the high schools. The main difference between these two options are middle and high school boundaries in the northern part of the district.

She said the proposed attendance area options could still be changed depending on how much feedback is received.

According to previous reporting, the guiding principles for the attendance area changes are: 

• Attendance areas do change and will continue to change. This work is part of a regular review of district enrollment patterns.
• The attendance area should anticipate the future growth of neighborhoods. A walkable and bikeable school is important, but may not always be possible.
• The attendance area seeks to reflect the composition of the Columbia Public Schools community.
• The board recognizes the power of a school to create a community. Accessibility for families is important (volunteering and attending school functions are easier when the school is near).
• Consider the time students spend on a bus and the distance traveled to and from school.
• Consider the attendance area's boundary lines that follow natural/man-made boundaries.
• Consider a transfer policy allowing fifth graders to remain at their previous school and allowing siblings to remain.

Columbia Public Schools provided a link to a map that breaks down changes to the district. The map is embedded below and can be found at this link. A breakdown of the new updated changes the district is considering can be found below. Not all areas of Columbia will be affected. The options are broken down as A-1, A-2, B-1 and B-2.

Areas near Chapel Hill Road, east of Fairview Road, south of Stadium Boulevard

Current 2023-24 Attendance Areas: Russell Boulevard ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Option A-1

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Russell Boulevard ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Russell Boulevard ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Option A-2

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Russell Boulevard ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Russell Boulevard ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Option B-1

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Russell Boulevard ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Russell Boulevard ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Option B-2

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Russell Boulevard ES , West MS, Hickman HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Russell Boulevard ES, West MS, Hickman HS

East of A.L. Golf Course, south of Stadium Boulevard, west of Providence

Current 2023-24 Attendance Areas: Grant ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Option A-1

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Grant ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Grant ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Option A-2

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Grant ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Grant ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Option B-1

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Grant ES, Jefferson MS, Hickman HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Grant ES, Jefferson MS, Hickman HS

Option B-2

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Grant ES , Jefferson MS, Hickman HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Grant ES, Jefferson MS, Hickman HS

Pockets west of Forum Boulevard, surrounding the Country Club of Missouri

Current 2023-24 Attendance Areas: Russell Boulevard ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Option A-1

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Russell Boulevard ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Mill Creek ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Option A-2

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Russell Boulevard ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Mill Creek ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Option B-1

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Russell Boulevard ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Mill Creek ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Option B-2

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Russell Boulevard ES , Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Mill Creek ES, Gentry MS, Rock Bridge HS

West of Range Line Street, south of East Harvest Road, north of East Brown School Road

Current 2023-24 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Option A-1

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Option A-2

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Option B-1

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Option B-2

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES , Lange MS, Battle HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, Lange MS, Battle HS

Boone County, West of Route VV

Current 2023-24 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Option A-1

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Option A-2

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Option B-1

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, West MS, Hickman HS

Option B-2

Phase 2 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES , Lange MS, Battle HS

Phase 3 Attendance Areas: Alpha Hart Lewis ES, Lange MS, Battle HS

These attendance area options also have student exemption options that would allow children to stay at their current school. However, Jackson warned Monday too many exemptions would restrict the use of the new Southwest Elementary School being built.

"The more students we allow to stay, the less that building is utilized," Jackson said. "If we allow fourth and fifth (graders) plus siblings, we're looking at an opening year of 35% at that building."