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Superintendent unveils consolidation dashboard and initial school pairings; emphasizes recommendations, not decisions
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Hough presented a data‑driven consolidation dashboard and initial pairings (for example Woodland with Mary Daly and Cleveland). He said the pairings are recommendations, "Nothing has been decided," and asked the community and staff to review dashboard materials and submit feedback ahead of final recommendations expected in February.
Superintendent Dr. Hough unveiled a public consolidation dashboard at the Elkhart Community Schools board meeting on Nov. 25 that the administration described as a data‑driven tool for proposing school pairings and informing community comment. He said the dashboard includes per‑school enrollment, capacity, physical condition, year built/last renovation, debt on each building, parking/bus loops, total classrooms, and per‑pupil spend metrics. The dashboard also allows users to model pairings and view combined enrollments; the administration said it has prepared a narrated video and Spanish translations to improve accessibility.
Hough emphasized that the pairings shown are recommendations and not official board decisions. "Nothing has been decided," he said, and he asked trustees and the public to review the dashboard and participate in upcoming community engagement. He said staff sent a survey with more than 500 responses to date and that the administration will disaggregate staff feedback and return with final recommendations in February.
Examples highlighted in the presentation included a western pairing of Woodland, Mary Daly and Cleveland (combined enrollment if all roll up: 786), Pinewood paired with Mary Feizer and Oslo in another west/north pairing, and Eastwood and Riverview shown in the eastern area. Hough described criteria used by staff — proximity, transportation, cohorts, accessibility and programming — and noted certain properties such as Beardsley Elementary are not included because of a 25‑year lease with a community partner.
Board members praised the dashboard's transparency and accessibility and asked for time to review the data; trustees and the superintendent repeatedly stressed that any final consolidation action would follow further staff analysis, redistricting conversations, and community input.
