hy oF fowa Cr ‘ww ego¥ org wow gov.oe Mathew J Hayek one: 19)2565010 Fe 91) 36509 May 5, 2010 Patt Fields, Chairperson Board of Education lowa City Community School District 508 S. Dubuque Street lowa City, lowa 82240, Re; School Redistricting Process Dear Chairperson Fields and members of the School Board ‘The members ofthe City Council have followed with grea interest the ongoing efforts of the School Board's redistricting committee, and we appreciate having had a position on the committee. Our representative, Keren Howard, reports that twas a very worthwhile process. We are respectful ofthe diffcut task ahead of you concerning the redistricting scenarios you have recelved. We certainly recognize that this decision is. ‘exclusively the School Board's to make. As a governmental partner in our ‘community, we wish to offer some input prior fo your final decison, ‘Ata formal council meeting on May 3, we received a presentation from Karen Howard that outlined the actives ofthe redistricting commitiee, We leamed ofthe citeria the School Board provided the reistiting committee for developing is recommendations ang we conclucted a public hearing that ‘was well attended by members ofthe community. Sevoral of you attended this meeting, and we appreciate that Following the presentation and the public hearing, and without the partcpation of Ross Wilburn, the Cy Council discussed the redistricting issue and formally voted to send this correspondence to you with our views, Itis of great concern tous thatthe cistrict continue to devote its limited resources to maintaining two strong, balanced, comprehensive high schools In our view, enrolment projection data from the School Board's consultant do not support a third high school at this time or in the near future, The Gilera established by the School Board and provided tothe consultant and the redistricting committee are bast saistied by the two high school scenario the redistricting commitlee sent to you \We acknowledge that a third high school may eventually become necessary, but we are concermed that the decision to pursue thal school is being made prematurely. We believe present financial constraints cannot support third Figh schoo! without signifeantly and negatively impacting the resources devoted to Cily High and West High. ‘The decision of when to build a third high school should be data criven. We hope you will be conservative in your planning so that City High and West High are surpassing their capaciy, before a third high schools pursued, rather than proceeding without sufcent enrollment numbers and undar a financial ealty that would divert vital resources from City High and West High‘We believe the notion of a smaller, magnet-ke third high school to be Uunwise. The School Board's consultant indicated that such a school ina district as small as ours could negatively impact the excellent academic reputations of City High and West High, Untl a third comprehensive, sinilary-sized high school is both necessary and warranted, we believe the ‘community's focus should be on preserving City High and West High as two ‘ofthe preeminent high schools in the state of lowa, Itis clear thatthe socioeconomic issues facing the School Board relate lect to Issues facing the City Councl, These are not exclusively Iowa City sues, and we have asked cur neighboring municipalities to work with us on hhousing and other planning matters affecting allocal municipalities. ‘Working together, we can address socioeconomic and other inequities affecting our K-12 schools. We ask the School Board to give careful consideration to Scenario 4F, which was strongly preferred by your reditricting committee, or a comparable scenario that meets the criteria you established. ‘This approach wil ‘decrease the socioeconomic imbalance between the two high schools and will address their actual and perceived differences. This is @ matter of {economic growth and neighborhood vitally. When a new business or family ‘moves to our communiy, there should be no hesitation that all the high schools are equal in quaity and opportunity. The entire community benefits ‘when actual and perceived diferences between the high schools are minimized. Conversely, the entice community sufers when those ‘iferences persist. ‘Again, we appreciate the opportunity to have been represented on your recistricting committee and respect the dificult decision before you. We look forward to working with you to promote equity throughout the lowa City Community School Distict. We welcome your insight and opinions regarding issues before the city and look forward to continued collaboration between our institutions on behalf ofthe community. Please contact me or other members ofthe City Councl if you have any questions Sinoorely, Ao Matthew J. Hayek, Mayor ity oF lowa City cc; City Council Dale Hellng, Interim City Manager Jeff Davidson, Director, Planning & Community Development ikaren Howard, Associate Planner Lane Plugge, Superintendent, lowa City Community Schools