Joplin Schools Redistricting Plans On Hold
By: Jessica Schaer
Updated: February 27, 2013
JOPLIN, MO.--- Joplin school officials table redistricting plans tonight due to ongoing parent opposition. After an open parent meeting last week, Joplin school officials planned to present a compromise tonight to ease concerns about redistricting. That plan never even made it to the floor after four parents strongly urged school leaders to slow down the process.
The current proposal involves shifting around 205 students from Jefferson, Cecil Floyd, Stapleton, Mckinley, and Royal Heights. It particularly involves what middle schools current 5th graders would attend in the fall. R-8 leaders had planned to vote on a middle school permit process that would allow current 3rd through 7th graders to apply for their school choice.
Parents at tonight's meeting said, after receiving letters to come tour their future middle school, they felt they were being left out of the decision process. Joplin School Board members saw that concern and admitted they need to hear more public input.
"Affecting as few students as possible, so the best thing is just going through all the options, and having those options to make the change a little less painful," says Jason Cravens, R-8 Director of Instructional Services.
"If the best thing is for all of us to do that, then we will go to the schools that we're required to go to. I think everybody just wants to see that process put through and make sure there's due diligence so that we make the right choices," says Neal Smith, Concerned Parent.
After a lengthy discussion, school officials have decided to hold off on voting on the permit process until they can hear further input from focus groups, parents, and the original redistricting committee.
Administrators will send out letters to announce when those focus groups will meet so that all parents can be involved. School board members are expected to make the final vote at their next meeting on Tuesday, March 26th.
The current proposal involves shifting around 205 students from Jefferson, Cecil Floyd, Stapleton, Mckinley, and Royal Heights. It particularly involves what middle schools current 5th graders would attend in the fall. R-8 leaders had planned to vote on a middle school permit process that would allow current 3rd through 7th graders to apply for their school choice.
Parents at tonight's meeting said, after receiving letters to come tour their future middle school, they felt they were being left out of the decision process. Joplin School Board members saw that concern and admitted they need to hear more public input.
"Affecting as few students as possible, so the best thing is just going through all the options, and having those options to make the change a little less painful," says Jason Cravens, R-8 Director of Instructional Services.
"If the best thing is for all of us to do that, then we will go to the schools that we're required to go to. I think everybody just wants to see that process put through and make sure there's due diligence so that we make the right choices," says Neal Smith, Concerned Parent.
After a lengthy discussion, school officials have decided to hold off on voting on the permit process until they can hear further input from focus groups, parents, and the original redistricting committee.
Administrators will send out letters to announce when those focus groups will meet so that all parents can be involved. School board members are expected to make the final vote at their next meeting on Tuesday, March 26th.
