Allhands: Hey, Gilbert, don't close that school (yet)

Joanna Allhands
opinion columnist
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Stephen Naramore and Lauren Zemlock talk in their Service Learning class at Gilbert Classical Academy in this file photo from 2011.

Gilbert Classical Academy is a top-rated school with a huge waiting list. It needs a larger campus. Pretty much everyone agrees that should be a priority.

But the district doesn't have the cash to build new digs. The three options on the table -- to close either Gilbert or Mesquite junior highs and repurpose the building for GCA; or to cram GCA into Mesquite, along with a second academy for Mesquite students -- aren't good options. Pretty much everyone agrees on that.

So, how do we solve the problem? By choosing not to solve it. Not on Tuesday, at least.

The enrollment question

A recent demographic study found that while Gilbert's school-age population is expected to grow, Gilbert Public Schools' population is expected to shrink through 2020. Why the incongruity? Well, a couple of reasons, according to the district:

1) Gilbert is aging. People tend to put down roots in this town, which may be why enrollment is lower in more established neighborhoods like those surrounding Gilbert and Mesquite junior highs. Families who moved here years ago aren't moving, but their kids are aging out of schools. That may be part of the reason why GPS's high schools are at capacity and its lower grades aren't.

2) GPS isn't the only option in town. More parents are homeschooling or sending their kids to charter schools -- and anecdotally, the district is losing these students before they reach kindergarten. The district thinks parents may be choosing other options in the lower grades but moving back to district schools once kids reach high school, so they can take advantage of a wider variety of class and activity options.

That's plausible. We saw both of these things happen in Mesa Public Schools a few years ago when the district went through a painful -- but ultimately fruitful -- process to close schools with low enrollments and reuse them for other things neighborhoods needed, like health clinics and community centers. It also vastly boosted its marketing efforts to attract Mesa students who had left or never chosen the district to begin with.

Waiting may still bring pain, but ...

But notice how I'm couching the language in Gilbert's explanation? The district isn't sure to what extent either is happening. It has commissioned a survey to get a better idea. But it's not certain. Not yet.

Which brings me back to Tuesday's GCA vote.

It's a big deal to close a school -- or cram two schools into one building. The reason Gilbert and Mesquite were chosen to make room for GCA is because they have low(er) enrollments than other schools. For now. The district thinks that might continue, based on past enrollment trends. But, man, how terrible would it be if we're wrong?

The point is GCA shouldn't move in isolation, not if there are larger enrollment and space-use issues to resolve. Waiting may only prolong the pain of school repurposing. But I, for one, would like to see a more holistic plan before we pull the trigger.

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