Dayton Public Schools approves Option 1 reconfiguration amid debate over preschool access and transparency

The Dayton Public Schools Board approved 'Option 1' — a district reconfiguration that consolidates preschool offerings and revises grade configurations (including K–6/K–7/6–8 models) — following a special meeting that featured extended debate about transparency and preschool funding.

Supporters emphasized student retention and program benefits while opponents said the public had not been given adequate notice. Board members approved the motion in a roll-call vote that recorded four votes in favor and three against. The board then moved into an executive session to consider employment matters.

District staff who presented the plan said the new configuration is constrained by classroom space and projected it would serve about 658 preschool students under the proposed model, compared with roughly 724 preschool slots the district currently serves. Staff described the reconfiguration as a way to create more coherent feeder patterns and to consolidate preschool resources into…