It was an intense meeting tonight in Meridian to discuss boundary changes in the state’s largest school district.
The new boundaries are an attempt to ease overcrowding at a number of schools in the West Ada School District.
A new proposal would force thousands of students in the West Ada District to change schools.
It was standing room only at the first of three public forums to discuss the proposed changes.
New boundaries would affect every grade level but the most drastic changes involve high school boundaries.
The new proposal draws lines to balance attendance at all five West Ada high schools.
The area most affected is southwest Meridian where a number of students who attend Mountain View High School would now go to Meridian High. Only seniors in 2017, when the new high school boundaries go into effect, would be allowed to choose to stay at their current school. That means some families could have kids at different high schools.
Before the meeting, we spoke with one mother who said for her keeping siblings together was among the most important aspect of any plan.
“Keeping families together is critical. As a working parent I can tell you being able to take kids to after-school sports, busing's not provided if you have kids that are in activities, so it's a real issue if you bus kids further than they can go, parents can't get kids to extracurricular activities which is important for health and development of kids so I think it's real important,” said mother Amy Walters.
A volunteer attendance committee has worked on this proposal since October. It will be presented two more times for public reaction. The next meeting takes place next Wednesday the 13th at the Meridian Middle School Auditorium at 7 p.m. The third meeting takes place the following Wednesday the 20th at the Rocky Mountain High School Auditorium also at 7 p.m.
To learn more about the proposed changes click here.
The school board is scheduled to vote on the new boundaries in early February.
