At a special-call meeting Monday night, the Davenport School Board decided that it will not consider a school closing or consolidation for next year.
However, a decision to consolidate a school or schools may be considered in 2021 for implementation and cost savings in 2022.
Board President Ralph Johanson said he wanted to hold the special meeting to ensure he understands which direction the board wants to go.
“If we’re going to make some of these decisions” the board needs to make them by Aug. 27, he said. A five-year budget reduction plan package must be shared the first week of September with the Iowa School Budget Review Committee, said Superintendent Art Tate.
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Tate and other district representatives then will meet with the committee in October.
“We have to give clear direction for the administration,” Johanson said.
Board member Allison Beck referred to a proposal she shared earlier: Consolidation of at least two middle schools with their neighboring elementary schools using PPEL (Physical Plant and Equipment Levy) funds that could be used to add classrooms.
“I think that would be perfectly acceptable to put that into our plan — not necessarily (school year) 2019-20. That’s a big change — that’s a long-range change ... It takes time to research that,” she said.
“I don’t want to close any school,” said board member Julie DeSalvo. “But I think we’re foolish if we don’t continue to look at ways to save money.”
Consolidation, said board member Clyde Mayfield, “is something we should do when we have no other choice.”
Board members Johanson, Beck, Linda Hayes and Bruce Potts supported the inclusion of the consolidation proposal in the cost-saving plan. Board members Mayfield, DeSalvo and Dan Gosa did not support it.
The next regular school board meeting will be Monday, Aug. 27.