Davenport board hears FMPC recommendation for hybrid preschool expansion and regional continuum of care

The Davenport Community School District on Dec. 1 heard recommendations from its Facility Master Planning Committee to expand preschool access districtwide and to build a regional "continuum of care" for students with more intensive special education needs.

FMPC leaders described a phased, hybrid approach that aims to increase center‑based capacity in each region while retaining school‑based preschool rooms for local access. The plan proposes three principal center locations (North, East and West), relocation of the Hoover program into a larger first‑floor facility at JB Young, and adding rooms at Eisenhower and Harrison to balance geographic access. Presenters said the district could aim for roughly 700 preschool seats — up from about 500 currently — without immediately turning away current families.

"Davenport School District would like to be the first solution provider for our youngest learners in the district," John of Bray Architects told the board, framing the proposal around increasing district control of preschool pathways and improving continuity into kindergarten. FMPC members said a hybrid between the single‑center and multi‑center scenarios best balances access, staff collaboration and cost.

Beyond preschool seats, presenters argued for a regional model of special education services so that every region can serve high‑incidence needs (speech/language, learning disabilities, ADHD) while a limited set of regional sites address more moderate and significant needs (intellectual disabilities, severe behavior, autism). Courtney (district staff) said the district has been largely reactive and that a regional, proactive design should reduce out‑of‑district placements and create predictable pathways for families.

Board members pressed for operational details: whether the district would buy or repurpose buildings, how Tiffany (preschool principal) would be staffed if programs were more distributed, transportation implications for preschoolers (the district currently provides busing only for qualifying special education students), and how partner sites and Head Start funding would be integrated. Tiffany said partner sites continue to be valued and some families use partner providers; she also noted a waiting list of roughly 60–83 preschool‑age children at present and that Head Start funds currently support about 92 students.

Administration recommended a phased rollout: move Hoover to JB Young and consolidate Madison there as an initial step, preserve Children's Village West and other stable offerings in the near term, then pause to monitor enrollment and capacity before advancing further construction or large renovations. Officials estimated moderate retrofit costs for repurposing existing school rooms and said larger additions (gyms/cafeterias) could be in the $2–4 million range depending on scope.

The board did not vote on design approvals at the Dec. 1 meeting; trustees asked for additional financial analyses and timeline details before taking formal action. Administration said the proposal would return for a vote after further study and community input.

The district scheduled a phased timeline to allow runway for cost validation, staffing plans, and capacity analysis before full implementation.