BCSD School Consolidation Review Updates
Town Hall Meeting - February 6, 2025
The Bibb County School District hosted a School Consolidation Town Hall on Thursday, February 5. More than 120 stakeholders attended the town hall on February 5, including parents, staff members, community and business partners, Board of Education members, political representatives, and students.
The town hall was the next step in the school consolidation review process the District has undertaken this school year. With a focus on robust planning, rigorous data analysis, and active stakeholder engagement, the District is exploring school consolidation as a key strategy for future budget planning. This comprehensive and balanced approach will empower the District to make informed decisions that prioritize financial efficiency and significantly enhance student outcomes and experiences.
A School Consolidation Steering Committee made up of about 50 representatives from various stakeholder groups has spent several months – since September – reviewing and analyzing factors such as enrollment trends and student data, facility age and capacity, budget implications and community impact. Additional community feedback has also been considered, with stakeholder input gathered at various town hall and focus group sessions, as well as through a community survey. This qualitative and quantitative data was used to identify three possible scenarios for school consolidation, which were presented for additional feedback and questions during the February town hall.
Scenario 1:
- Hartley Elementary School would consolidate with 2 elementary schools.
- Hartley Elementary students would attend:
- Ingram-Pye Elementary
- Southfield Elementary
- Middle school and high school enrollment would remain the same, with student addresses for Hartley neighborhoods attending Ballard & Southwest
Scenario 2:
- Williams Elementary School would consolidate with 2 elementary schools.
- Williams Elementary students would attend:
- Ingram-Pye Elementary
- Hartley Elementary
- Middle school and high school enrollment would remain the same, with student addresses for Williams neighborhoods attending Miller & Central
Scenario 3:
- Porter Elementary School would consolidate with 2 elementary schools.
- Porter Elementary students would attend:
- Heard Elementary
- Skyview Elementary
- Middle school and high school enrollment would remain the same, with student addresses for Porter neighborhoods attending Rutland & Rutland
Next Steps: The feedback from the February town hall session will be combined with feedback from upcoming school and community meetings in the next few weeks to develop three non-consolidation scenarios for consideration as well.
Share your feedback about the scenarios through Let’s Talk at https://www.bcsdk12.net/about-us/lets-talk using the tab for School Consolidation.
Steering Committee Meeting - January 13, 2025
The steering committee met to discuss potential scenarios.
BOE Meeting - December 19, 2024
Dr. Katika D. Lovett, Deputy Superintendent, presented Board members with an update on the school consolidation review occurring during the 2024-25 school year.
The District conducted an engagement survey this fall to gain feedback regarding school consolidation. A total of 1,497 responses were completed. The survey included 11 multiple-choice/Likert-Scaled questions and two open-ended questions: What additional information would you like to have about the school consolidation process? Is there anything else you would like to share with the district? All schools and stakeholder groups were reflected in the responses.
Summary of Bibb County Schools Consolidation Exploration Survey
- Stakeholder Groups: Responses from parents, teachers, administrators, and community members.
- Familiarity with School Consolidation: Varied levels of familiarity among respondents.
- Important Factors: Key considerations include educational outcomes, financial efficiency, and community impact.
- Potential Benefits: Improved educational resources, better facilities, and enhanced extracurricular opportunities.
- Primary Concerns: Larger class sizes, transportation issues, and loss of community identity.
- Community Involvement: High importance placed on community involvement in the decision making process.
- Support for Consolidation: Support likely if it leads to improved educational outcomes and financial efficiency.
- Additional Services: Interest in counseling services, extracurricular activities, and academic support during the transition.
- Comfort with Larger Schools: Mixed comfort levels with children attending larger, consolidated schools.
- Preferred Communication Channels: Email, newsletters, and community meetings.
Next Steps
December 2024 (Currently In-Progress):
- Develop Preliminary Scenarios:
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- Create multiple consolidation and non-consolidation models based on collected data, emphasizing the impact on student outcomes, financial implications, and community sentiment.
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- Conduct a detailed analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each scenario, including impacts on student achievement, community cohesion, operational efficiency, and financial health.
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- Review data and preliminary scenarios for feedback and refinement.
January 2025:
- Host Community Forums:
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- Present preliminary scenarios to the public and gather feedback, with specific sessions for students and parents. Provide detailed pros and cons for each scenario.
- Conduct Additional Focus Groups:
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- Focus on areas with high impact from consolidation to understand specific concerns, particularly from students and families.
- Refine Scenarios:
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- Incorporate community and student feedback into revised models, ensuring a balanced view of consolidation and non-consolidation options.
Virtual Town Hall Meeting - November 14, 2024
The District hosted a Virtual Town Hall Meeting to provide community members with another opportunity to hear the pertinent information and share their questions and concerns.
Steering Committee Meeting - November 11, 2024
The steering committee discussed specific enrollment numbers and other factors for potential consolidation options.
Town Hall Meeting - November 7, 2024
Over 90 stakeholders attended the first School Consolidation Town Hall Meeting on November 7th. Stakeholders heard from Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Katika Lovett, on the process and procedures for school consolidation. They also heard from Dara Foy, Director of Research, Evaluation, Assessment, and Accountability, on school enrollment data. Stakeholders participated in breakout sessions where they shared their concerns and insight with school district officials. The next town hall meeting will be held virtually on November 14th at 5 p.m.
Steering Committee Meeting - October 21, 2024
The steering committee met to discuss the relevant data trends for making any potential school consolidation decisions.
BOE Meeting - October 17, 2024
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Katika Lovett and Dr. Thelron Please of Towering Your Success provided Board members with an update on the school consolidation review process for 2024-25. To see the update, click here.
The timeline is currently in Phase 2, which includes the data collection and analysis phase. An outline of Phase 2 is below:
September-Ongoing:
- Conduct Surveys and Focus Groups:
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- Gather input from students, parents, teachers, and the community about their concerns and expectations. Ensure diverse student voices are heard.
- Facility Assessments:
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- Evaluate the condition and capacity of current school buildings, focusing on the impact on the student learning environment.
- Financial Analysis:
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- Conduct a comprehensive assessment of potential cost savings and financial implications of consolidation.
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- Analyze current expenditures and resource allocation across schools and administrative functions.
October-November 2024:
- Analyze Enrollment Trends:
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- Project future enrollment patterns and identify schools with declining or increasing numbers. Consider the implications for student diversity and inclusivity.
- Budget Analysis:
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- Review financial implications and potential cost savings of consolidation, prioritizing resources for student programs and support services.
November-December 2024:
- Develop Preliminary Scenarios:
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- Create multiple consolidation and non-consolidation models based on collected data, emphasizing the impact on student outcomes, financial implications, and community sentiment.
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- Conduct a detailed analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each scenario, including impacts on student achievement, community cohesion, operational efficiency, and financial health.
- Present Findings to Steering Committee:
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- Review data and preliminary scenarios for feedback and refinement, ensuring student representatives are actively involved.
The BCSD Consolidation Committee held its first meeting in September. The purpose of the BCSD School Consolidation Committee is to carefully evaluate the current structure and resources of our school district, with the goal of improving educational opportunities, operational efficiency, and financial sustainability. The committee will analyze enrollment trends, facility usage, academic programs, and community needs to provide informed recommendations to the school board, prioritizing the best interests of students, staff, and the community.
The School Consolidation Steering Committee is composed of representatives from various stakeholder groups to ensure diverse perspectives and equitable representation. The breakdown of the committee members is as follows:
- Teachers (9): Includes representatives from different grade levels and subject areas.
- Parents (10): Represents families from different schools affected by the consolidation.
- Business Leaders (7): Local business community representatives who can provide insights into economic impacts and opportunities.
- Community and Faith-Based Leaders (5): Representatives from community organizations and religious institutions to offer perspectives on social and community impacts.
- Central Office Leaders (9): District administrators with expertise in areas such as student affairs, teaching and learning, finance, operations, data, and human resources.
- School-Based Leaders (10): Principals and assistant principals from throughout the district.
- Students (3): Student representatives from different grade levels to provide first-hand perspectives on the impact of consolidation.
- Elected Officials (2)
A community engagement session to seek feedback and input on the consolidation process will be held in the coming weeks. Information will be shared once a date is finalized.
Steering Committee Meeting - September 17, 2024
The Steering Committee held its first meeting to discuss the timeline for the process. This committee comprises interested stakeholders from various stakeholder groups, to include parents, community leaders, staff members and more.
BOE Meeting - August 19, 2024
Dr. Katika Lovett, Deputy Superintendent, provided Board members with an update on the District's school consolidation review process. Dr. Lovett shared that more than 250 stakeholders completed an interest form to participate in BCSD's Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will be narrowed down to about 50 members, who will review and consider potential school consolidations in support of instructional and operational efficiencies. Next steps include community engagement sessions and hiring a Project Manager.