WICHITA, Kansas — Wichita public school leaders are considering a $450 million plan to rebuild and consolidate dozens of schools in an effort to modernize classrooms and reduce the district’s overall footprint.
Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld said the proposal is based on public input and data compiled by consultants. It calls for rebuilding several elementary schools and two middle schools and closing about a dozen buildings.
It would also build a new early childhood center, convert two elementary schools into K-8 schools, add a career center focused on construction trades, and add athletic fields to Northeast Magnet High School.
“If we want to continue to invest in our kids, and we want to continue to invest in the future, it’s important that we continue to invest in facilities,” Bielefeld said.
He said a bond issue would not require a tax increase. Higher property values mean more tax revenue, and as previous bond issues are paid off, the district could layer in new bonds and not raise the current mill levy.
“There’s a lot of dominoes in the plan,” Bielefeld said. “There’s a ‘Rebuild this’ and then ‘Shuffle this’ and then ‘Put other things here.’ So, it will take a few years for us to really actualize all of this.”
Here’s how the proposed plan would break down in each quadrant of the district:
Northeast
- Rebuild Adams Elementary on site.
- Close Little Early Childhood Center. Move program to new early childhood center at a renovated Chester Lewis Learning Center.
- Build a new middle school on the Coleman Middle School site.
- Repurpose current Coleman Middle School to house Gateway Alternative Program and Chester Lewis Learning Center.
- Convert Isely Elementary to a K-8 school
- Convert a building south of East High School into the district’s third Future Ready Center, focused on construction trades such as plumbing, and heating and air-conditioning.
- Add athletic fields to Northeast Magnet High School
Southeast
- Rebuild Caldwell Elementary School on its current site.
- Repurpose Jardine Middle School, closed this year, for special day programs — Sowers Alternative High School, Wells Alternative Middle School and Bryant Opportunity Academy.
Southwest
- Rebuild Truesdell Middle School in its current site.
- Expand Cessna Elementary into a K-8 school.
Northwest
- Rebuild Black, Irving and McLean Elementary Schools.
- Close L’ouverture, OK, Pleasant Valley and Woodland Elementary and move students into the other nearby schools.
- Repurpose Bryant Opportunity Academy for use by Chisholm Life Skills Center.
David Sturtz with Ohio-based Cooperative Strategies said the proposal to rebuild and consolidate schools is the first step in what should be a larger long-term master plan.
“This is about restructuring through rebuilding,” Sturtz said. “And in doing so, reimagining the opportunities for kids not just today, but for the next 100 years.”
The Wichita school board voted earlier this year to shutter two middle schools and four elementary schools because of declining enrollment and a $42 million budget deficit. Wichita’s enrollment has dropped by more than 8% over the past seven years, and consultants predict the decline will continue.
Meanwhile, officials say Wichita schools need more than $1.2 billion in repairs and maintenance.
“One of the things that we are trying to do is reduce the footprint in the district — to get out of some of these buildings by consolidating programs into other spaces,” Bielefeld said.
The district plans to send a survey to residents asking for feedback on the plan. School board members could vote on the proposal later this month.
Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.
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