West Campus Unification ProposalBoard of Education DiscussionOctober 1, 2020

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Background & Questions for Today

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Throughout the 2019-2020 school year and into the fall of the 2020-2021 school year staff, students, alumni, and parents developed a proposal and received broad community feedback on a plan to reunify the schools on the West Campus.

Key Questions:1. Should we approve the community’s proposal to reunify the

schools?2. If so, is this for a (middle school and a high school) or a (6-12)?3. If so, when should this take place?

Next Steps:1. Discuss recommendation with SLT on Wednesday2. Review recommendation at BoE work session on Thursday3. TBD- BoE Vote Oct 22

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Background on the West Reunification ProposalWhere did this proposal come from?

2019-2020 Summer - Fall 2020

Student Voice and Leadership Project (SVL)

Community and Alumni Association Meetings

West Leadership Board of Advisors and West Early College CSC

Resident Polling (400 responses)

Staff, Student, & Family Survey (857 responses)

Phone Interviews with community leaders

Student Voice and Leadership Video highlighting perspectives of students, teachers, and alumni

SVL BoE Public Comment (September 24th)

School Leader/Alumni Assoc/Teachers/Student presentation of data via a Community Meeting (September 24th)

Key Question #1Should DPS approve the schools’ proposal to reunify the schools?

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Total responses from Poll and Survey: 1,257 (400 polled, 857 surveyed)

Please indicate whether you are in favor or against these options

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Students, Staff, Families, and Community Support the Reunification of Schools on the West Campus

Primary Themes from the Community Feedback

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Surveys, Poll, Community Meetings

Benefits Challenges Hopes

● Unification plan came from students with support from staff and alumni; school leaders are invested in the unification plan

● Improved enrollment - Less competitive and less confusing for families

● Increased academic opportunities - Full continuum of services including SPED, transportation, mental health team, SSPs, nursing. Student access to expanded course offerings including Early College, CTE, concurrent enrollment, and advanced classes

● Reduced challenges of a shared campus - One school with an aligned feeder middle school

● Potential staff efficiencies, additional course offerings, increased teacher collaboration

● Improved student culture - Student participation in all school activities together; athletics will remain the same

● More change during a challenging time, and making this happen will require significant planning supports and communication

● Staffing impacts as staff would need to re-apply for positions

● Maintain best aspects of each school and the “smaller” school environments

● Align middle school and high school programming “feeder schools”

● Maintaining the school’s cultural identity / address concerns over gentrification

● Continued community engagement & communication

● Early College advance course credit and degree attainment for all

● Opportunity for full TNLI program and TNLI zone school

Key Question #2If DPS opts to approve the Reunification Plan, should this be for one 6-12 or for a middle school and a high school?

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Prefered Options for Schools on the CampusOverall respondents slightly prefer a middle school and a high school, yet students and parents tend to prefer a 6-12 while school staff prefer a middle school and a high school.

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Unification (HS & MS, or 6-12)The combined survey and poll responses indicate a slight preference for a HS & MS over a 6-12

Pros Cons

High School & Middle School

● Aligns with community’s primary desire for the return of West HS

● Allows for smaller, focused schools● Maintains a dedicated feeder middle

school (could feel like one school)● 2 school leaders to run 2 different

developmental age groups● Less challenging than opening one larger

school

● 2 schools that need to share space

6-12 School

● Cost savings and efficiencies with one school leader/ admin

● One unified school culture and expectations

● More challenging to launch and implement

● 6-12 is complex for school improvement and allocation of resources & performance accountability

● Does not address community desire for the return of West HS

Key Question #3If DPS opts to approve the Reunification Plan, when should this happen?

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Launch Timeline Options

19-20 SY Fall 2020

Spring 2021

Summer 2021

Fall 2021

Spring 2022

Summer 2022

Fall 2022

Option A:Partial

Y-0

Pre- Year-0:Community Engagement

and School Design Planning Partial Y-0

Launch New

School(s)

Option B:Partial Year-0

(soft launch)

Pre- Year-0:Community Engagement

and School Design Planning Partial Y-0

Soft Launch

New School(s)

Continued Year-0 Planning

Full Launch

New School(s)

Option C:Full Y-0

Pre- Year-0:Community Engagement and School Design

Planning

Full Year-0 Launch New

School(s)

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Launch Timeline Options - Overview

Option A: Partial Year-0- Hire school leader(s) by January 1- Design School(s) by February- Hire Staff (March - June)- Prepare to Open in fall 2021

Option B: Partial Year-0 (Soft Launch)- Hire school leader(s) by January 1- Maintain current course offerings/staff for another year under the new school name- Design Schools during the 2021-2022 SY- Hire Staff (March - June)- Prepare to fully open in fall 2022

Option C: Full Year-0- Hire school leaders by June 2021- Design Schools during the 2021-2022 SY- Hire Staff (March - June 2022)- Prepare to open in fall 2022

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Year-0 / Launch Timeline Considerations

Pros Cons

Option A:Partial Y-0

● Community engagement momentum w/ expressed desire to start in 21-22

● Principals support the change ● School leader vacancy at WLA (21-22)● Schools already share campus, minimal facility

impact● Overall cost savings● Aligns with Innov. Renewal Cycle

● Quicker design● Occurs prior to Montbello timeline● Quick timeline to work out staffing rehires

Option B:Partial Year-0

(soft launch)

● Could begin change quickly while taking time for deep planning

● Timeline aligns with Montbello● Allows additional year before full staff

reapplication

● Transition year could be logistically challenging (course offerings, etc)

● More difficult to communicate● Staffing inefficiencies/ costs● Staff would get vested into a semi merger and

re-apply a year later which may be confusing for staff

● Does not align with Innov. Renewal Cycle

Option C:Full Y-0

● Time for deep planning● Exact timeline with Montbello● Allows schools to focus on remote learning in

20-21

● Risk of losing community momentum as they want to open in 21-22

● Additional year of interim principal at WLA for 21-22

● Staff anxiety for full 1.5 years before new schools hiring process

● Does not align with Innov. Renewal Cycle

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Next Steps

● Determine if the Board recommends approving the proposal to unify the schools

● Determine if the unification of the schools is for one 6-12, or a MS and HS.

● Determine the timeline for the unification.

Potential Board Discussion and Vote on October 22