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District outlines potential Shepherd and Franklin high-school options, signals boundary work ahead
Summary
Mesa staff presented initial plans to expand Shepherd (K–8) into a 7–12 college-prep pathway and to pursue a small Franklin high school; the Franklin option would require attendance-boundary changes and PABDAC review because nearby campuses lack capacity.
Mesa Public Schools officials briefed the governing board on July 8 about two early-stage school-opportunity proposals: adding high-school grades at Shepherd (a 7–8 campus) to create a 7–12 college-preparatory pathway and launching a small Franklin high school that would require boundary adjustments.
Superintendent Matthew Strom told trustees Shepherd College Prep could begin with ninth grade in 2026–27 and grow a grade per year; staff recommended starting at ninth grade to limit initial budgetary commitments and to seed staffing levels conservatively. Officials said Shepherd currently operates below capacity and community surveys returned favorable Net Promoter scores for a college-prep model.
The Franklin proposal attracted more complexity. Administrators and trustees said Brimhall (the existing campus mentioned) cannot house a full K–12 configuration, and opening a Franklin High School would likely require repurposing or reassigning nearby elementary campuses where enrollment is declining. The board was told the district would use the PABDAC (Planning and Boundary Advisory Committee) process — a committee appointed by the board — to propose attendance-boundary changes, hold public hearings and present options to trustees.
Strom cautioned that some athletic and CTE offerings would be limited at small campuses and that district transportation capacity is constrained; staff said existing bus routes could carry new students but only until capacity is reached. Trustees supported early engagement with parents and principals and asked for repeated updates; staff said they would return to the board in subsequent meetings with planning timelines and community engagement schedules.
