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Parents and PTA debate co-location plan for RISE STEM Academy and George Washington Carver
Summary
Parents of RISE STEM Academy and the PTA at George Washington Carver presented conflicting views on a proposal to co-locate both STEM schools in a new Fayette County Public Schools facility. Parents warned co-location could reduce RISE's single-gender programming and capacity; GWC leaders said a shared, ADA-compliant campus would improve facilities for both schools.
Sarah Flood Bauman, a RISE STEM Academy parent who described herself as a small-business owner, told the Equity Council on Dec. 2 that co-locating George Washington Carver (GWC) inside the new RISE building would “undermine” the all-girls STEM model and narrow program access for girls. “Program reduction equals equity reduction,” Bauman said, arguing that a shared-space model would cut RISE middle-school enrollment to “roughly 150” students and eliminate many electives and specialized staff that the RISE design was intended to support.
Why it matters: RISE parents said the district promised the new building would house the all-girls school exclusively and cited repeated schedule changes and delays that they say have sapped trust and enrollment. Bauman pointed to the RISE building’s design capacity of 900 students and said the program’s outcomes justify preserving full space and autonomy. “All Girl STEM equity is economic equity for Lexington,” she added.
District and parent details: Parents and RISE representatives gave varied numbers during the discussion: speakers cited a current RISE enrollment around 270 in the district’s facilities plan and described a permanent facility designed for 900 students; elsewhere speakers referenced figures in the low-140s tied to applicants or incoming cohorts for other schools. District staff said the magnet-entry process is a straight lottery and that placement offers have been extended to applicants in the past. The district also pointed meeting attendees to the project webpage (fcps.net/rightsize) for construction progress and documentation.
GWC perspective: Kalisa Farrell, PTA president at George Washington Carver, told the council that a shared campus with separate wings, entrances and administrations could preserve each school’s culture while addressing critical facility problems at GWC — a building she described as “nearly a 100 years old” with accessibility barriers and outdated infrastructure. Farrell said shared buses and coordinated routing could cut some students’ multi-hour rides and that shared high-cost STEM labs could expand educational opportunities for both student bodies.
Points of clarification and outstanding questions: Dr. Matthews (district staff) clarified that the district’s magnet lottery is a straight lottery and not a socioeconomic-weighted process, responding to parents’ questions about selection criteria. Parents asked for enrollment and applicant counts, floor plans and clearer timelines; district staff agreed to share existing building plans and to circulate data from the principal and facilities plan. Several ECC members said these are matters for the Board of Education and that no final decision about co-location had been made.
What’s next: The Equity Council requested additional details from school and district staff — including application counts and floor plans — to inform future discussion. Council leadership also said the matter will be discussed at Board level; no formal District decision was announced at the meeting.
