Several residents addressed the West Lafayette Community School Corporation board during the public‑comment portion of a recent meeting to oppose a proposed option that would open district schools to students from outside the district through a lottery.

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Lily Chow, a West Lafayette resident, told the board: “I'm here today to, speak tonight in opposition to the third option, opening our district to students from outside district through a lottery system.”

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Speakers said the change, proposed as a response to declining enrollment and related state funding impacts, would be a short‑term fix that risks straining classroom resources, complicating transportation and weakening the link between residency and local property values that support district revenue.

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Chow told the board that opening enrollment “may temporarily increase enrollment, but you would also increase strain on our classrooms, teachers, and facilities.” She asked trustees to prioritize the district’s residents.

Yimei Tang, a parent and resident, raised equity and safety questions about a lottery system and described potential emotional impacts on young children: “Imagine how that feels for young children, for young kid who didn't get in.” She also warned that additional out‑of‑district car trips could create safety challenges near schools and urged the board to assess how many new students and vehicles the district could handle safely.

Kimberly Lundgren, who said she is new to the district and has prior experience on a public board of education and leading an independent school, described how the district’s transfer policy affected her family’s housing decisions. She said that some prospective buyers delay or avoid purchase until transfer rules are decided and argued that a more restrictive policy could incentivize families to purchase inside the district, supporting long‑term revenue: “If revenue and long term financial viability is the most important issue you as a board are considering with regards to this policy, then may I submit that the importance of incentivizing people to live in the school district is crucial.”

Kevin So, a West Lafayette resident who said he participated in a district survey, urged the board to create a formal public process before deciding and framed the issue as one of fairness for in‑district taxpayers: “Residents within our school district are willing to pay higher taxes with the very expectation that their contributions help support local schools and students, including their own children.” He asked the board to solicit broader public input.

Board response and next steps
Superintendent Dr. Griner said administration is preparing a survey and analysis and will share revised enrollment and funding scenarios from outside analysts before the district distributes the community survey. He said the revised numbers and an opportunity for board input on the survey will precede public distribution.