Education

Maize School Board Approves District Boundary Map

KMUW

Published November 15, 2016 at 4:06 PM CST

The Maize Board of Education unanimously approved a boundary map Monday night that would finalize the district's new student placement policy.

This is the first time USD 266 has had boundaries dictating which schools students should attend. Until now, elementary-age students were assigned to a school based on space, and when a student entered middle and high school, families requested a school preference.

The new boundary map unanimously approved by the Maize Schools Board of Education. West 53rd Street North is near the top of the populated area on the map; North Maize Road divides boundary areas to the west; West 21st Street North is near the southern boundary; and North West Street is near the eastern boundary.

According to the district's website, that system led to "regular and consistent concerns and issues with morale and divisiveness because of 'perceived feeder systems,' when in fact no schools were tied together in a track."

Under the new guidelines, a student's home address will dictate what school he or she attends for the 2017-18 school year, but there is an exemption option for K-5 students with an older sibling in middle school or high school. The exemption allows the younger child to attend the same school as their sibling, regardless of the new boundary.

As a result of the new boundaries, households in a southeast portion of the district will be assigned to Maize South Middle School and Maize South High. Students living in the remainder of the district will go to Maize Middle School and Maize High.

Officials say they will be communicating with families in the coming days and weeks. The district is preparing packets that families will receive in the mail soon, likely next week.

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