Overcrowding in schools

Although the big news out of the Caddo Parish School Board was how they would fill the district five seat, there was also other business conducted. 

Among the most heated discussions was board member Barry Rachal's plea for another school in his district. He cited the recent incident where fire marshals had to excuse parents from a school event because there were too many people in the small auditorium. 

Rachal wants to have a public discussion on criteria on for neighborhood schools. This thought has come up in one form or another throughout the years. Each board member is a fan of having, developing, and implementing neighborhood schools but not all are for magnet schools as they are now. A huge reason, they say, is that it drains neighborhood schools of academic talent.

But Rachal's district, University Elementary in particular, has the opposite problem. According to the board member's comments during Tuesday night's meeting, there are 1,025 students in school constructed for 878. He also mentioned during his comments that 10 percent of the entire district's enrollment lives in that school's attendance zone. 

That's a lot of students.

Other schools like Youree Drive and Walnut Hill Elementary/Middle have more 1,000 students. 

So what's the solution? District administrator hope the solution presents itself after the faculties study has been completed. As part of Vision 20/20, the district is currently conducting a facilities study. Consider it like taking inventory, a very detailed inventory. That report is expected in the summer. 

One board member, Tammy Phelps, mentioned that the issue with overcrowding at some of the schools isn't about an increase in population. It's a migration problem. More people are moving to these areas away from the heart of the city. This would be interesting to find out and would probably be part of whatever results the Census finds. However, this phenomenon has happened in other districts. 

What ever the solution or thought, this is one issue that will not being going away any time soon. Superintendent Gerald Dawkins promised lively discussions on this in the future. 

Share |