6 takeaways from Lawrence USD 497 school board meeting

District report shows reduction in large elementary class sizes

Preschool program expanding to Deerfield and Prairie Park

Board member inquires about Native American student displacement

District losing students to out-of-state schools, gaining from neighbors

High school 'nesting' strategy used to maintain course offerings

Superintendent defends size of administrative staff

District report shows reduction in large elementary class sizes

LAWRENCE, Kan. - A report presented to the Lawrence Public Schools Board of Education on Monday revealed that 94 percent of elementary classrooms in the district now have 27 or fewer students. James Polk, director of data and assessment, presented the annual enrollment report, noting that the average class size for kindergarten and first grade is 20 students, rising to 23 students by fifth grade. Superintendent Jeanice Kerr Swift highlighted that the district has successfully eliminated multi-grade classrooms, except where intentional by design, such as in Montessori programs. However, officials noted that space limitations at Langston Hughes and Deerfield elementary schools have resulted in a handful of larger classes that are being supported by additional teaching staff.

Preschool program expanding to Deerfield and Prairie Park

LAWRENCE, Kan. - The district announced plans to expand its early childhood education program to Deerfield and Prairie Park elementary schools for the 2026-27 school year. Superintendent Jeanice Kerr Swift stated that both campuses have available space and are eager to host the classrooms. This expansion builds on programs already established at Sunflower, Woodlawn, New York and Kennedy, bringing the district to the 50 percent mark for implementing preschool classrooms across all elementary sites.

Board member inquires about Native American student displacement

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Following the presentation on enrollment trends, one board member raised a question regarding the displacement of Native American students following the closure of Broken Arrow Elementary. Noting that Broken Arrow previously had the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the district, the board member requested specific data on where those students transferred and whether the district is successfully retaining them. Administrators promised to provide a follow-up report tracking those specific cohorts.

District gains students from other Kansas districts but loses families to out-of-state moves

LAWRENCE, Kan. — New student mobility data shows Lawrence Public Schools is a net importer of students from elsewhere in Kansas, but a net exporter when families move across state lines. The district reported a net gain of 67 students from other Kansas public school systems, while posting a net loss of students to public schools outside Kansas. At the same time, the district’s overall mobility rate is about 21%, meaning roughly one in five students either enters or leaves the district during the school year—a level of churn that can complicate staffing, class sizes and midyear support services.

High school 'nesting' strategy used to maintain course offerings

LAWRENCE, Kan. - To maintain a wide variety of course offerings while managing efficiency, district high schools are utilizing "nested" sections, a practice where two similar courses meet in the same room at the same time. James Polk, director of data and assessment, explained that an Advanced Placement physics class might meet simultaneously with a standard physics class, allowing the district to offer courses that might otherwise be cut due to low enrollment. The report showed a significant drop in high school classes with 18 or fewer students, from 15 social studies sections last year to zero this year. One board member expressed concern regarding the instructional effectiveness of this model and requested future data on student outcomes in nested courses.

Superintendent defends size of administrative staff

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Addressing a recent community inquiry regarding the size of the district's administration, Superintendent Jeanice Kerr Swift presented data characterizing the central office as lean. According to the presentation, district administrators make up 1.5 percent of the workforce, or 24 positions, while school-based administrators account for 2.1 percent. Swift emphasized that the finance team manages a $200 million budget and that recent streamlining efforts over the past 14 months have focused on reducing administrative positions to direct more resources toward classrooms and competitive employee compensation.

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