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Public commenters press board on consolidation criteria, student tech and supports for students with disabilities
Summary
During community comment and a long board discussion, residents urged objective criteria for consolidation, safe walkable boundaries, limits on student device use and stronger transition supports for students with disabilities. Board members and staff acknowledged the concerns and folded them into policy and committee work.
Public comment at the May 26 meeting centered on three themes: the need for objective, transparent criteria in any school consolidation process; concerns about student technology and data privacy; and gaps in supports for students with disabilities across feeder patterns.
Joshua Riley urged the board to adopt an objective rubric before listing candidate schools and flagged a district administration budget overage he said was about $1.4 million. Tim Hahn urged the district to prioritize active transportation and walkability when redrawing boundaries, asking the board to "redraw school boundaries from scratch" with health and safety in mind. Lucy Lee called for policy changes on student personal technology and questioned contracts with some EdTech vendors, noting the Surgeon General’s advisory on screen time.
Multiple parents described problems with Individualized Education Program (IEP) continuity, reporting steep drops in IEP prevalence from elementary to high school at some feeder chains and asking for deeper review. One parent said a son’s ability to access Futures Lab pathways was the result of advocacy, not consistent district practice.
Staff and directors listening in public session said the Comprehensive Planning Committee’s action teams will explicitly include transition supports, program continuity and family‑facing communications. Staff also noted the district’s plan to provide additional presentations to neighborhood stakeholders and to invite families to co‑design transition activities.
The meeting’s extended discussion reflected the tension the board will face as it presses for a timely recommendation: several directors said the public has asked for decisions so families and staff have certainty; others argued the district must preserve integrity and avoid hasty, poorly vetted recommendations. Director Kevin Havelka thanked CPC volunteers for a year of work, and other directors asked staff for monthly check‑ins and clearer pathways for board involvement during the summer.
