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Task force hears options to reshape Stevens Point schools as enrollment falls
Summary
Consultants told the Stevens Point Area Public School District board the task force is considering grade‑reconfiguration and closing at least one elementary school after projections show roughly 800 fewer students in a decade; consultants will present phased alternatives in September and the task force could recommend paths that may require a referendum.
Consultant Mark, presenting the Project 20‑40 task force update, said enrollment projections show “about 800 students fewer than the combined working capacity of all 9 elementary schools” roughly 10 years out, prompting the task force to evaluate grade reconfiguration and possible building consolidation.
The consultant summarized four reconfiguration models the task force ranked, noting that one model (Option C) — a K–5, 6–8, 9–12 structure in the district’s preferred framing — received the most first‑choice votes from members. He cautioned the board that each option requires trade‑offs among student opportunity, family impact, fiscal responsibility and building efficiency and that the group will bring phased alternative paths back in September for deeper review.
Board members questioned whether recommendations should prioritize cost savings and whether changes would trigger a capital referendum, especially if SPASH must be upgraded to host ninth graders. Mark said further work will quantify potential savings and costs; he added some task‑force members support discussing the closure of at least one elementary building, while others expressed concern about community and transportation impacts.
The board’s finance staff and the consultant said the next steps include more precise capacity and cost estimates, attendance‑area scenarios if buildings are closed, and public engagement plans. The task force is scheduled to present alternative paths and phased timelines at its September meeting with a goal of returning recommendations for board consideration by December.
