FRANKLIN, BLANCHARD LINES ARE CHANGED

A boundary shift between Franklin and Barbara Blanchard elementary schools that is expected to alleviate enrollment inequities at the two schools was unanimously approved by the Cape Girardeau Board of Education Monday night.

Superintendent Dr. Dan Steska and assistant superintendent Cathy Evans have held a number of meetings with parents since last month, when the proposal was presented to the school board as an informational report. Board members did not discuss the measure during Monday's meeting.

About 68 Blanchard students who live in a 16-block area of southeast Cape Girardeau will be transferred into Franklin's attendance area next year in accordance with the boundary change. The change is needed because Blanchard is nearing the building's enrollment capacity and there is room at Franklin.

The region being transferred is bounded to the east by South Sprigg Street, to the west by Hanover Street, to the north by William Street and to the south by Shawnee Parkway.

Affected students will have the option of remaining at Blanchard, but the district will not provide transportation for those students.

Steska said he regrets the disharmony the proposal has caused among Franklin parents who do not want their school to return to overcrowded conditions. However, he said he could not allow the high enrollment at Blanchard to continue, given the growth that is projected for the district in coming years.

"It was tempting to sweep this under the rug because my absolute goal was to bring peace to this district this year," said Steska. "I stuck my neck out, and I did something that was probably not going to be pleasing to everyone, realizing it would only be for a two-year interim.

"I stand before you guilty of bringing another controversy into this district, but I'm not guilty in the respect that I did it for the right reasons," he said.

A small group of Franklin parents attended the meeting. The parents maintained administrators were not being sensitive to Franklin's history of overcrowded conditions. They cited a voluntary transfer system or use of the district's overflow policy for relocating students as better alternatives to the boundary shift.

Several parents questioned the motivation behind a boundary change when the district plans to reduce elementary school enrollments by two grades after the district's new high school opens in two years. They were particularly concerned because the boundary shift could increase Franklin's enrollment of low-income students and decrease diversity in "the most representative school in the district."

The increased enrollment of low-income students will result in a schoolwide qualification for federal funding at Franklin that is currently received only at Jefferson and Blanchard schools. Franklin currently receives the funding for several specific classrooms that meet federal guidelines.

"It doesn't look good as a community for us to have three of five elementary schools that have elevated poverty enrollments," said Martha Zlokovich. "What does that say about us as a district?"

Zlokovich said Franklin will manage the boundary changes without incident next year because of assurances from administrators that no class size will increase beyond 24 students. However, the district should start developing a plan with input from the community to equalize enrollment based on socio-economic factors, building capacity and minority enrollment, she said.

"Whether or not the redistricting plan goes through, I strongly believe the community needs to hear that change is going to take place in two to three years," she said prior to the board's vote. "Issues suggested by the school need to be studied by the community."