With growing suburban metro schools what do you think we will see for new schools opening in the near future. Obviously we just saw it in Ankeny with Centennial, and the Iowa City Schools district will be opening up a new high school in North Liberty in 2017 I believe. Any others? Waukee? Another one in Ankeny?
New High Schools in coming years
- Thread starter Rival001
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In talking to a current Waukee school board member, it shouldn't surprise anyone to see a 2nd high school there in the next 5 years.
After that, I don't think any others are in the works. West Des Moines could arguably use one, but won't happen. Johnston put in a study to determine their needs of a second high school and it didn't sound feasible at this time.
After that, I don't think any others are in the works. West Des Moines could arguably use one, but won't happen. Johnston put in a study to determine their needs of a second high school and it didn't sound feasible at this time.
Will the new IC HS pull from Solon and CCA? Looking at the current BEDS document Solon is close to the cut off for 2A
Looking at the BEDS numbers from 2012-13 to 2014-15...
School.....+/-.....Overall difference from 700(4A threshold)
WDM Valley.....+160.....+1496
DM East.....+34.....+1041
DM Lincoln.....+70.....+959
Dav West.....-126.....+695
SE Polk.....-1.....+810
IC High/IC West.....+221.....+2027
Waukee.....+236.....+958
Linn-Mar.....+133.....+841
Johnston.....+106.....+825
What I gather from these numbers...
== West Des Moines could definitely split and still be comfortably near the top. Valley is over triple the 700 minimum for 4A. But it doesn't seem like they have any desires to do so.
== DM East, DM Lincoln and Dav West are all metropolitan schools. Despite their size, seems very unlikely a new school would be added. In fact, redistricting could take from their numbers some and supply DM North and DM Hoover - though, the likelihood of that is in question also.
== SE Polk could split and probably form two 4A entities like Ankeny did. Not sure if a new school in that area would draw from some of DM East's pool.
== Iowa City is splitting. Growth in the North Liberty area is faster than anywhere in the state, save for perhaps eastern Dallas County/western Polk County. The new school should almost certainly open as a 4A entity, but if not, would probably be so within one cycle of districting.
== Waukee is exploding and a split seems feasible, with a possibility of both being 4A also.
== Marion(Linn-Mar) seems to be in a similar place as Waukee and Iowa City. Some redistricting could take place and possibly boost the numbers at Marion Independent, but that would take a substantial give. And I'm uncertain if Marion Independent could handle that kind of additional influx.
== Johnston looks like they're close to split, but not quite as far along as the other suburban areas.
4A could conceivably add anywhere from 4 or 5 schools in the next decade or so. Unless of course the state creates a new 5A, then we'll just have the extra schools at the top, while closures and consolidation take from the bottom.
School.....+/-.....Overall difference from 700(4A threshold)
WDM Valley.....+160.....+1496
DM East.....+34.....+1041
DM Lincoln.....+70.....+959
Dav West.....-126.....+695
SE Polk.....-1.....+810
IC High/IC West.....+221.....+2027
Waukee.....+236.....+958
Linn-Mar.....+133.....+841
Johnston.....+106.....+825
What I gather from these numbers...
== West Des Moines could definitely split and still be comfortably near the top. Valley is over triple the 700 minimum for 4A. But it doesn't seem like they have any desires to do so.
== DM East, DM Lincoln and Dav West are all metropolitan schools. Despite their size, seems very unlikely a new school would be added. In fact, redistricting could take from their numbers some and supply DM North and DM Hoover - though, the likelihood of that is in question also.
== SE Polk could split and probably form two 4A entities like Ankeny did. Not sure if a new school in that area would draw from some of DM East's pool.
== Iowa City is splitting. Growth in the North Liberty area is faster than anywhere in the state, save for perhaps eastern Dallas County/western Polk County. The new school should almost certainly open as a 4A entity, but if not, would probably be so within one cycle of districting.
== Waukee is exploding and a split seems feasible, with a possibility of both being 4A also.
== Marion(Linn-Mar) seems to be in a similar place as Waukee and Iowa City. Some redistricting could take place and possibly boost the numbers at Marion Independent, but that would take a substantial give. And I'm uncertain if Marion Independent could handle that kind of additional influx.
== Johnston looks like they're close to split, but not quite as far along as the other suburban areas.
4A could conceivably add anywhere from 4 or 5 schools in the next decade or so. Unless of course the state creates a new 5A, then we'll just have the extra schools at the top, while closures and consolidation take from the bottom.
Waukee is not only exploding but if they split into 2 schools there will be more people open enrolling from Valley to Waukee.
While Valley continues to be divided on building an additional school (which they very much need) a growing number of parents are looking at alternatives. 2 smaller, newer high schools that are still 4A and located nearby in basically a suburb will be appealing to some Valley families.
While Valley continues to be divided on building an additional school (which they very much need) a growing number of parents are looking at alternatives. 2 smaller, newer high schools that are still 4A and located nearby in basically a suburb will be appealing to some Valley families.
I wasn't necessarily saying that Waukee was exploding, but the number of students in their BEDS count certainly has. Adding 236 students over 9-11 grade in two years is pretty substantial. Gives a lot of credence to what you are saying about the Valley district families looking for a little smaller school.
Iowa City Liberty will open in fall 2017 as a 4A school. The ICCSD will allow seniors living in the Liberty attendance boundaries to remain at their current school.
Waukee has been preparing for a split for several years as they vie annually with Ankeny for the crown of fastest growing school district in the state. There are over 1,000 students in each of the early elementary grades, so they need two high schools that can hold 1500 10-12 graders in the near future.
Southeast Polk has plateaued in their enrollment growth (6400 K-12). Ankeny & Waukee got serious about a second high school when they approached 9,000. Once the western suburbs get built out and enrollment stabilizes, Pleasant Hill/Altoona will become the next hot area around 2020-2025.
Johnston is building a new 10-12 building with plans to use the current building as a middle school. This gives them the option to revamp the current building to a second high school & construct additional middle schools if growth accelerates.
I see several possible new faces in 4A from the Des Moines metro in 5-15 years: Dallas Center-Grimes, Norwalk, Bondurant-Farrar & Carlisle will all eventually join in the boom as the metro area is projected to add roughly 10,000 residents annually, almost entirely in the suburbs.
Waukee has been preparing for a split for several years as they vie annually with Ankeny for the crown of fastest growing school district in the state. There are over 1,000 students in each of the early elementary grades, so they need two high schools that can hold 1500 10-12 graders in the near future.
Southeast Polk has plateaued in their enrollment growth (6400 K-12). Ankeny & Waukee got serious about a second high school when they approached 9,000. Once the western suburbs get built out and enrollment stabilizes, Pleasant Hill/Altoona will become the next hot area around 2020-2025.
Johnston is building a new 10-12 building with plans to use the current building as a middle school. This gives them the option to revamp the current building to a second high school & construct additional middle schools if growth accelerates.
I see several possible new faces in 4A from the Des Moines metro in 5-15 years: Dallas Center-Grimes, Norwalk, Bondurant-Farrar & Carlisle will all eventually join in the boom as the metro area is projected to add roughly 10,000 residents annually, almost entirely in the suburbs.
It probably will, but both Solon and tiffin have had new subdivisions go in fairly recently and should continue to grow.
Valley should split up so they can spread that talent pool around a bit more and make it even less likely that they dominate 4A sports.
I'd be in favor of that.
I'd be in favor of that.
Waukee is still experiencing fast growth and the "explosion" may be yet to come. The new exit on the interstate that is being squeezed between Jordan Creek and the "old" Waukee exit is projected to fuel an expanse of growth both north and south of the interstate. Personally I don't see where the jobs are coming from to fuel this growth unless it is just a case of people getting out of DM and heading for the suburbs.
Interesting similarity as Ankeny. Both communities had rapid enough growth that rest areas had to be moved and replaced by another exit to accommodate traffic flows.
I've not heard anything about Linn-Mar splitting. There's been talk in the past about Linn-Mar and Marion combining but that's not likely to happen, either.
Also, some of North Liberty's areas closer to I-380 are in the CCA district so not all of N. Liberty will attend the new high ICCD high school.
Also, some of North Liberty's areas closer to I-380 are in the CCA district so not all of N. Liberty will attend the new high ICCD high school.
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