[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6324485,"mediaKeyId","2338090-c3bad6a5d54ce28d274a923a6f3fbd19","parentId",2338090,"title","Eau Claire board hears annual boundary petitions; several detachment/attachment requests denied, others approved","audioSeconds",2255,"startMs",5039000,"endMs",7294000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2338090-c3bad6a5d54ce28d274a923a6f3fbd19&start=5039&end=7294","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2338090-c3bad6a5d54ce28d274a923a6f3fbd19/thumbnail_5039000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6324485/Wisconsin/Eau-Claire-board-hears-annual-boundary-petitions-several-detachmentattachment-requests-denied-others-approved","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6324485-e0c11cef956c95e81f91969238ae8c9c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775954945&Signature=jYxBCGuUerYRMblDzn9hNi6CBMBf1xeuq6eVaiYHRiMHvyi87m~sGWNHRMKUa63tBom72Cr~S~zTrlemAXwOkTAfw6BuUU~4ffVenfHhQ2nnIMOb-qsZYl7u7URk8zpnVRhw2eMG1s3KBffDElTCa~1rC41d3mWfgOVkmi3g-4bzbxJ-Kj20SlfBhRoXhAREQ6wRTVmC94qF4QXf4o2gWliVBX9vTaunEKpPiYHyYF4xPRopDibKWwMmJQV0DUHa8ncWd3pGLiyQV1Vup35vGKAV46ySrfVcFtuYdYEXTpjh-voxSbThV-C0oCyfO4akerFsEBLRlEx2xTB-ivpTiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Eau Claire Area School District","date","2025-02-19T08:20:25.557Z","article","The Eau Claire Area School Board heard its annual petitions to alter district boundaries on Feb. 18 and acted on multiple homeowner requests and two small-territory, district-initiated swaps with a neighboring district.

The board denied most individual petitions to detach parcels from the Eau Claire Area School District and, in one instance, approved a petition to attach a residence into the district. Administrators told the board they had negotiated an alternative path with the neighboring Durand–Arkansas School District for two parcels and recommended denial where appropriate.

Why it matters: school-district boundary changes affect which district educates a child, who pays property taxes for schools and can require one-year waiting periods or inter-district agreements. The board’s decisions determine immediate enrollment eligibility and set the timeline for any future appeals.

What the board decided
- Jennifer and Travis Smith: The petition from Jennifer and Travis Smith to alter district boundaries was denied; the board adopted a resolution authorizing issuance of an order of denial. District staff told the board a negotiated alternative with the Durand–Arkansas School District made the petition unnecessary. (Administrative recommendation: deny.)

- Margo and Bryce Perget: The board denied a request from Margo and Bryce Perget and adopted a resolution authorizing issuance of an order of denial on that petition. District staff recommended denying a waiver of the one-year waiting period as a matter of policy.

- Matthew Malmberg: Malmberg asked to detach his property to return it to the Elk Mound School District. The district recommended denial, noting the matter had previously been decided by the School District Boundary Appeals Board and upheld by the state process. The board denied the petition and adopted a resolution of denial.

- Maureen and Scott Merrick: The board denied the Merricks’ petition to detach their property; the board adopted a resolution authorizing issuance of an order of denial consistent with administration recommendation.

- Sarah and Adam Boss: The board voted to approve the Bosses’ petition to attach their property into the Eau Claire Area School District after discussion about neighborhood continuity, busing and student grouping. The board then adopted a resolution authorizing issuance of an order to alter district boundaries based on their petition. In remarks to the board, petitioner Sarah Boss said their driveway is in one district while the house sits geographically in another and that “both of our neighbors on either side of us are Eau Claire School District, and they both have kids that are exactly the same age as mine, and they're best friends.” The board discussion cited concerns about disrupting property-boundary lines but ultimately approved the attachment.

- Smith/Perget small-territory swaps with Durand–Arkansas School District: The board approved detachment of the Smith parcel from Eau Claire and attachment to Durand–Arkansas, and separately approved detachment of the Perget parcel from Durand–Arkansas and attachment to Eau Claire as part of a negotiated land swap. Pergett (a participant in the swap) described reaching agreement with a neighbor and said the bus routes already pass the properties; he told the board, “we found a property owner that's willing to do an equal switch.” The board adopted resolutions authorizing issuance of the corresponding orders.

Administrative rationale and process notes
District administration, represented by Dr. Mark Ellworthy, repeatedly recommended denial for individual homeowner petitions where other procedural remedies or negotiated swaps were available. Ellworthy reminded the board that petitions must satisfy statutory timelines (petitions are due prior to Feb. 1 and board action must happen no later than March 1) and that petitioners face a one-year waiting period unless the board waives it. He also described the appeals path to the School District Boundary Appeals Board and said some prior petitions had been resolved at the state level.

Several board members voiced concern about the effects of boundary changes on neighborhood cohesion and on administrative precedent. Supporters of approved petitions emphasized children’s existing peer groups and practical concerns such as bus proximity and sports participation.

Votes and formal actions (summary)
- Multiple motions were made and seconded to deny petitions from the Smiths, the Pergates, Malmberg, and the Merricks; each denial motion was carried and the board adopted resolutions authorizing orders of denial. (Administrative recommendation: deny.)
- The board voted to approve Sarah and Adam Boss’s petition to attach their property to the Eau Claire Area School District and adopted the corresponding order to alter boundaries.
- The board approved the two small-territory, district-initiated swaps with the Durand–Arkansas School District and adopted resolutions authorizing the detachment/attachment orders for those parcels.

What the board did not do
The board did not waive the one‑year waiting period on petitions where administration recommended against waiving it. The board’s actions were taken in open session during the annual hearing and were recorded as motions with subsequent resolutions authorizing the issuance of orders.

Next steps and appeals
Board action on these petitions produces administrative orders the district will issue. Property owners and affected districts can pursue the statutory appeals processes where available; Dr. Ellworthy noted the School District Boundary Appeals Board and state review processes are the established routes for appeals.

Meeting context
The petition hearings are an annual event required by statute; petitioners are allowed to present and the district furnishes a recommendation. Board action must occur within the statutorily specified window or a lack of board action defaults to denial.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","ECASD Board of Education Meeting 2/17/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Eau Claire Area School Board heard its annual petitions to alter district boundaries on Feb. 18 and acted on multiple homeowner requests and two small-territory swaps with a neighboring district, denying most individual detach requests but approving one homeowner attachment and a pair of territory swaps.","taxTitle","Eau Claire Area School District, School Districts, Wisconsin","taxId",13046,"location","Wisconsin","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6324480,"Board hears middle‑school math report; district outlines curriculum, coaching and tiered support plans",1675,7215000,8890000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2338090-c3bad6a5d54ce28d274a923a6f3fbd19&start=7215&end=8890","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2338090-c3bad6a5d54ce28d274a923a6f3fbd19/thumbnail_7215000.jpg","/articles/6324480/Wisconsin/Board-hears-middleschool-math-report-district-outlines-curriculum-coaching-and-tiered-support-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6324480-080481ac46b94a4a7f3b0d2e7bc66583/orig.mp4?Expires=1775954945&Signature=JG5robH8q6DCmPZf~IPT9-pO-CHsLT-4JjssyCEbBp3rDwwR5Wt5xjgDCDPI0jdoIRUcaKudZ47bH9jzAW1zhhUSn7yMcwOrGBtqCYep~TLBbd-Ulh6rlui4Uz7CuP~KmXs8M0YIXtBuUJlLusWN4C~7DaCG9Nx0w25hAr7B4vhbnLvNRlqql52sV8jiW5d-hIN6OIwFLzpzjL~6q2eL~50Y5EU1fZLgYcQ2J4W2YJ8P~wQkvPvr2ZaOJLENuy376UrfM6670BFUDZPXWOKuvO9tl0I1JUhYHX4IKcID3jHHrG40mUJBzPbIhI6YiTjj~k-2VdYU3gCBnl8dyghuWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Eau Claire Area School District leaders presented a detailed “focus on results” report on middle‑school math at the Feb. 18 board meeting, showing improvement relative to the state on Forward Exam benchmarks for several subgroups while flagging persistent gaps for students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students.

The district framed its response around an “equitable multi‑level system of support” (EMLSS) that aims to meet most students’ needs in universal instruction and layer tier 2 and tier 3 services for students who need additional support. Executive Director Mandy VanVleet told the board, “our framework is a layered approach to meeting the needs of each student,” and staff leaders described concrete steps to strengthen curriculum alignment, teacher coaching and targeted interventions.

Nut graf: Why the district is acting
The district said Forward Exam score recalibration by the state made direct year‑to‑year comparisons difficult, so presenters compared the district and South Middle School to state results and focused on gaps. District leaders reported an overall upward trajectory and said the gap with the state has narrowed favorably for the district in recent years; they also identified subgroup patterns that will shape next steps, notably lower proficiency for students with disabilities and students who are economically disadvantaged.

What the data showed
- Overall trend: District and South Middle School performance on Forward math is improving and the district reported a widening gap in its favor versus the state in the most recent year.
- By grade: Grades 6–8 show increasing performance relative to state averages, with grade 7 and 8 showing notable gains at South Middle School.
- By subgroup: English learners showed steady improvement and have outperformed state percentages in recent years; students who are Black and students who are Hispanic also showed positive trends. Students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students lagged behind peers: presenters reported a 30.2 percentage‑point gap in 2023–24 between economically disadvantaged students and their non‑economically disadvantaged peers in grades 6–8.

District strategy and classroom implementation
District staff outlined three systems in an instructional framework designed to work together: a guaranteed and viable curriculum, aligned instructional delivery, and focused professional learning. Specific actions noted:
- Curriculum: Grade‑level essential standards for grades 6–12 have been selected; district and building teams are developing proficiency skills, unit plans, learning targets and aligned assessments for implementation.
- Professional learning: The district has invested in CPM (College Preparatory Mathematics) training for new math teachers and coaches, ongoing PLIP days on mathematical discourse and coach‑led teacher collaboration cycles.
- Instructional delivery: The district adopted the Art and Science of Teaching model and added math instructional coaches and interventionists at each middle school; the special‑education department is prioritizing access to universal instruction and improved IEP planning to support tier 3 needs.

South Middle School example
Caleb Hunt, South Middle School principal, and Christy Brower, assistant principal, described a building plan organized around five pillars — shared leadership, Art and Science of Teaching, AVID and PBIS, Building Thinking Classrooms (math focus), and peer observation triads — to increase student engagement and deepen classroom questioning. Math coach Beth Duhman works quarterly with teachers, collects observation and student‑level data and supports classroom practice change. Hunt said the work is “all of these systems coming together” and urged continued investment so “the system is not going to be as strong” if any element is removed.

Board discussion and next steps
Board members praised the depth of data and the district’s focus on equity while asking for more specificity about root causes and community partnerships to lift outcomes for disadvantaged groups. Dr. Bica thanked presenters for disaggregating data and Commissioner Farrar and others emphasized neighborhood continuity, coaching and collaboration as scaling mechanisms. The special education director (name not specified in the record) said work groups targeting instructional practice and IEP quality are producing action plans at both district and building levels.

No formal action was required at this meeting. District leaders said continuing the current multi‑year implementation (curriculum rollout, coach support, expanded tier 2/3 staffing) is the path for improving outcomes and closing subgroup gaps.

Excerpted direct quotes (from meeting):
- Mandy VanVleet, Executive Director: “Our framework is a layered approach to meeting the needs of each student.”
- Dr. Mark Ellworthy (administration, on petition matters referenced during the meeting): “Petitions are due prior to February 1, requiring board action no later than March 1.” (context: boundary petition process referenced earlier in the meeting)
- Mr. Pergett (petitioner, describing swap): “We found a property owner that's willing to do an equal switch.”

What to watch
The district will continue implementation of the guaranteed‑viable curriculum, expand coaching and intervention staffing, and target tier 3 system development for students with the greatest needs. The board and administration flagged continuing community partnerships and scaled teacher collaboration as priorities to sustain momentum across the three middle schools.","District staff and South Middle School leaders presented Forward Exam results, disaggregated subgroup data and a multi‑part instructional framework (guaranteed & viable curriculum, professional learning, instructional delivery) intended to raise math proficiency across grades 6–8.","actionData","errors"]

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Eau Claire board hears annual boundary petitions; several detachment/attachment requests denied, others approved

Board hears middle‑school math report; district outlines curriculum, coaching and tiered support plans