DeKalb board unveils proposed 2025 attendance boundaries; small group of families would be bused across town

The DeKalb CUSD 428 Board of Education on Tuesday reviewed a proposed redraw of elementary attendance areas tied to the district's new Mitchell Elementary and will return the plan for action on Feb. 4, district staff said.

District demographer Dr. Mark Cochran told the board the map-drawing process used 2024 student records, updated birth data and building capacity numbers provided by a facilities consultant. Staff said the proposal prioritizes proximity and keeping neighborhoods intact and that about 450 students would move into the new Mitchell building when it opens in 2025-26.

"We are centering neighborhood schools. That is our priority," Monica Parker, director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, told the board as staff summarized changes and community feedback. Parker and Dr. Cochran said the district held multiple mapping sessions with principals, cabinet members and community meetings before publishing the…