2009 Boundary Adjustment Overview
Liberty Public Schools has been growing at a rate of about five percent per year, which means our district has seen 400-500 new students every year. The majority of this growth is at the elementary school level.
Liberty has been a choice destination for families seeking a high quality education for their children. Liberty is one of the fastest growing school districts in the Kansas City metropolitan area, and the growth trends will likely continue for the foreseeable future.
In April 2008, Liberty patrons overwhelmingly approved a $58 million No-Tax-Increase bond issue, which allowed funds to be allocated for the building of a 10th elementary school, Kellybrook, and Phase I of a second high school, Liberty North. Kellybrook Elementary will open in August 2009. Liberty North High School will open in August 2010.
Because of increased enrollment, school boundaries have to change to fill new schools and to alleviate overcrowding at existing schools.
In October 2008, a Boundary Advisory Committee was formed, consisting of two parent representatives from every school in the district, community members, and staff. For the past two months, the committee has been meeting with LPS staff to determine the most educationally sound, efficient, and cost-effective boundary adjustment plan.
The role of the Boundary Advisory Committee is primarily to advise the Board of Education on community issues and desires regarding boundary changes. Representatives on the committee are responsible for participating in committee discussions, sharing information with the schools they represent, fairly representing the views of their communities during the process, evaluating staff-developed options, and making a recommendation(s) to the Board of Education.
The Boundary Advisory Committee, Board of Education, and staff must consider the best interests of all children when setting attendance boundaries. Unfortunately, as the district tries to maintain excellence in its schools while accommodating rapid growth, it becomes necessary to change boundaries.
The committee will make a recommendation and present it to the Board on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. The Board is expected to vote on the plan at its Tuesday, February 17, 2009 Board meeting. Once approved by the Board, the boundary changes will be implemented in August 2009.
