Peoria Unified board studies 7–12 model at Cactus, possible elementary consolidations amid community pushback

The Peoria Unified School District governing board spent the bulk of its March 5 study session discussing a proposed Phase 1 realignment that would move incoming 7th and 8th graders from several elementary campuses into Cactus High School (creating a 7–12 campus), close or repurpose smaller elementary campuses and redesign some boundaries.

What was proposed: district staff described a multi‑step plan that could shift students from Kacina, Pioneer, Foothills and other feeder campuses into a 7–12 configuration at Cactus High School beginning with the 2026–27 or subsequent school year. The plan is intended to address long‑term enrollment decline, right‑size facilities, and create larger, more resource‑efficient school configurations while adding scholastic and CTE pathways for junior‑high grades on a larger campus.

Community response and Oakwood question: staff presented two options for Oakwood Elementary: make Oakwood a required feeder into Cactus, or keep Oakwood as a K–8 campus and instead offer Oakwood families the choice to send their 7th–8th graders to Cactus. Many board members said Oakwood families — a large share of whom attend on variance to multiple high schools — have strongly signaled they want to remain K–8; several trustees favored offering Oakwood families a choice rather than a mandatory reassignment.

Key concerns raised by trustees and public commenters: - Timing and stakeholder communication: several board members said they wanted more time and additional comparative analyses (including side‑by‑side fiscal/capacity comparisons for a possible sale or repurposing of campuses) before making final decisions. Multiple trustees noted the district has been studying consolidations for years and urged caution before adopting sweeping changes on tight timelines. - Transportation and student safety: trustees raised traffic and crossing‑guard concerns at busy access points near Cactus (notably 63rd Avenue and the Greenway entrance). Staff said the district plans route adjustments and expanded busing in affected quadrants, and said crossing‑guard and city coordination would be pursued where appropriate. - Staffing and special education continuity: staff outlined projected changes to teacher and classified FTE if campuses consolidate, and emphasized the district will work to reassign affected staff across the system. Special‑education staff and case loads were discussed in detail; district special‑education leaders said they are reviewing IEP assignments and will plan transitions so students keep appropriate therapists and supports where possible. - Athletics, arts and pathways: staff said Cactus would offer junior‑high athletics (randomized color teams rather than varsity/JV splits) and expanded arts/CTE pathways — band, choir, theater, digital music, ceramics and career‑technical classes — and that these offerings could increase opportunities for younger students compared with some smaller K–8 campuses.

eCampus and alternative education: district staff also presented eCampus metrics. K–8 eCampus currently enrolls about 65 students and, under the program’s current staffing model, costs roughly $28,000 per K–8 student — about four times typical state per‑pupil funding. By contrast, 9–12 eCampus programs (credit recovery, flexible scheduling) are growing and staff recommended redesign options (phased sunsetting for lower grades or program rebrand) rather than an immediate full closure.

Next steps and process: trustees asked staff for additional, clearly comparable data — including long‑range enrollment projections at Cactus, a side‑by‑side comparison of the 7–12 option versus alternatives (including possible sale or lease of campuses in a Phase 2 analysis), and more detailed transportation and staffing plans. Several trustees suggested the board consider an advisory committee and additional public outreach before final action. No final board vote was taken at the March 5 study session.

What to watch: the board is scheduled to receive follow‑up materials and may take action at upcoming meetings; staff flagged March 12 and later dates in the district’s agenda calendar for more detailed legal and fiscal review. If the board later pursues sale or repurposing of properties, state law requires public hearings and a different timeline for ballot measures or sales.

Attribution rules: quotes and paraphrases in this report come only from speakers who identified themselves in the transcript or were explicitly named in the meeting record; where staff or the transcript did not identify roles beyond a functional description this story uses the functional label given by the meeting (for example, “the district’s special‑education coordinator”).