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Board discusses removing Robert Anderson from Southwood Academy cluster choice
Summary
The Anderson School District 5 board discussed a policy revision that would remove Robert Anderson Middle School students from eligibility to apply to Southwood Academy of the Arts via the district's cluster-choice process; the item was discussed and scheduled for further consideration at the next meeting.
The Anderson School District 5 Board of Trustees debated a proposed revision to the district's school-choice policy that would remove Robert Anderson Middle School from eligibility for cluster-choice admission to Southwood Academy of the Arts.
Board members and district staff described the current process: rising sixth-graders must audition for Southwood, audition wait lists carry into seventh and eighth grades, and cluster-choice placement is used only after audition wait lists are exhausted. The policy language presented to the board would withdraw Robert Anderson from the cluster-choice pathway; the change would mean students zoned for Robert Anderson could not apply via the cluster-choice fallback mentioned in the policy.
The proposal was raised as a return item after a prior meeting had tabled it. A district staff speaker summarized the current procedure: auditions determine initial admission, a wait list by audition score is used for openings caused by attrition, and if slots remain after exhausting the wait list the district uses cluster-choice placements. The presentation said that if, “by February 15 of each year there are open slots available at any grade level, eligible students from Robert Anderson Middle School may apply via the cluster choice program for admission” under the current language. The proposed revision would remove that sentence and thus remove Robert Anderson from the cluster-choice eligibility.
Board members pressed for clarity about how students from other middle schools become eligible. District staff said Mr. Galloway checks with Mr. Lockas (staff) about open slots and then moves down the audition wait list; only if the audition list is exhausted are cluster-choice seats offered. Board members noted that some cluster-choice clusters were organized because of high-school capacity limits at T.L. Hanna and other feeder patterns, and that the board could revisit cluster vs. districtwide choice in the future.
Several trustees voiced concern that removing Robert Anderson from the cluster-choice option could deny opportunities for students who show aptitude for Southwood's arts program; other trustees supported keeping the policy changes as presented. No formal motion to adopt the revision was made at this meeting; board members agreed to return the item for a vote at the next board meeting.
