Maize Board of Education committee members and district leaders, as part of planning for long-term future growth, have been gathering data and input this school year related to transportation, facilities, and resource allocation. They spent months studying transportation and enrollment data to determine whether implementing elementary school boundaries would shift resources in a way that would allow the district to provide transportation to all students. 

Demographic firm RSP, which the district hired for an enrollment and boundary analysis, was originally scheduled to present to the board in February. The firm needs more time to conduct its research so RSP is expected to present its findings during the regular monthly school board meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, March 6. The meeting will be open to the public and will take place in the classrooms at the Maize Performing Arts and Aquatics Center, 1055 Academy Ave. in Maize. The district’s primary focus with RSP data will be to discuss long-term planning in relation to growth projections.

Thanks to everyone who shared feedback this school year about transportation, growth, and potential elementary school boundaries, including employees who provided their perspectives during meetings and Superintendent Employee Listening Tour sessions and parents who participated in a recent survey. The district conducted the parent survey last week and invited a random sample of elementary school parents to share their perspectives about transportation and potential elementary school boundary scenarios. This helped the district gain more insight on these topics to have better insight into what Maize families need. Parents were notified via an email invitation if they were randomly selected to participate.

• Results were largely split and included the following:
  78.5 percent of parents surveyed reported that they have not been affected by the policy change in which school bus transportation is not offered to students who live within 2.5 miles of school.
• 52.7 percent of parents surveyed responded that a specific scenario with gradual implementation of elementary school boundaries would be helpful to their families.
• 50.5 percent of parents surveyed indicated that a specific scenario with immediate implementation of elementary school boundaries would NOT be helpful to their families.

Please click here to view the key results of the parent survey.

Based on data collected so far, leaders do not plan to make any major changes to the way Maize USD 266 elementary school students are placed in the district’s five elementary schools for the 2023-24 school year. The next steps are to focus on a long-term solution with ample time for planning implementation should there be any future changes. For example, as the district grows, implementing elementary boundaries may be more effective and efficient to coincide with another change, such as an additional elementary school or configuration change, if needed.

We will also continue to review options to address the changing needs for transportation as we want to continuously improve service for students who need a ride to school.

Thank you for your support and patience as the district continues to work through matters related to growth and future planning for the sake of students.