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Pasco district recommends short‑term boundary tweaks to ease overcrowding at Columbia River Elementary
Summary
Superintendent Whitney proposed a short‑term walkability review and targeted boundary changes to direct students from new developments to nearby schools with capacity (Franklin STEM, McClleintoch) to avoid adding portables at overcrowded Columbia River Elementary. Staff said a committee and community engagement would follow and a recommendation could be returned by late December 2026.
The Pasco School District presented a review of its attendance‑zone policy and a recommended short‑term strategy to address overcrowding at Columbia River Elementary.
Superintendent Whitney told the board the district can no longer rely primarily on portable classrooms because mitigation/impact fee revenue has fallen; staff therefore recommends a short‑term walkability review of new developments and, where feasible, reassigning those new housing areas to nearby schools that have brick‑and‑mortar or existing portable capacity. Whitney said Columbia River Elementary was overcrowded by 53 students as of April 1 and that Franklin STEM and McClleintoch have available capacity, including portables at Franklin that increase its capacity to about 214 with current portables in place.
Whitney described the short‑term target: before large residential build‑out, identify developments within walking distance of another school and consider boundary adjustments so future residents are assigned to the closer school and avoid adding portables to an already overcrowded site. The superintendent also proposed a medium‑term, district‑wide review in 2026–27 of elementary enrollments, building capacities and transportation impacts, followed by longer‑term review of middle and high schools.
Board members asked technical questions about the student‑generation assumptions for developments, how frequently boundaries would be reviewed, and whether moving portables would stress common areas (lunchrooms and gyms) at receiving schools. Whitney said staff will pair any short‑term adjustments with a review cycle (every two to three years) and will sharpen demographic assumptions and maps before bringing a recommended boundary change back for board action.
Next steps: staff will refine short‑term boundary recommendations and return a more complete proposal (including maps, student‑generation estimates and community engagement plans) for board consideration in June and a final recommendation by the last meeting in December 2026.
