Report: A dozen U-46 schools over capacity; Hillcrest tops the list

A recently released Elgin Area School District U-46 enrollment report gives weight to what some Bartlett parents have been saying for years: Their elementary school is toward the top of the list of those most overcrowded.

Yet, despite these numbers, and continued efforts on the parents' part to work for a fix for the next school year, hope is dwindling fast.

"We've been complaining about this for over a year now," Nature Ridge Elementary parent Dana Weiby said. "Now there are numbers that support what we've been saying and we still have to wait."

A capital planning report completed for U-46 by two outside firms found a dozen schools over capacity, according to last year's enrollment numbers.

The school deemed the most overcrowded was Hillcrest Elementary in Elgin, at 130 percent capacity.

The district's Citizens Advisory Council's enrollment and facility committee in October began reviewing a recommendation to alleviate the overcrowding at the school by moving an English Language Learners program to Creekside Elementary in Elgin.

Previously, Creekside students attended English language classes at Hillcrest.

The recommendation came at the same time interim director of operations Jim Feuerborn's 2009-10 enrollment counts were published.

According to that report, Hillcrest is no longer leading as the most crowded school.

Topping the list now is Lincoln Elementary in Hoffman Estates, at 114.2 percent capacity. Nature Ridge follows at 113.6 percent. Hillcrest now stands at 108.3 percent, according to the report, just behind Laurel Hill at 109.2 percent. Fox Meadow in South Elgin at 104.3 percent rounds out the top five.

Weiby said she joined the Citizens Advisory Council's enrollment and facilities committee to help work for a solution to Nature Ridge,

She and Beverly Jaszczurowski, another Nature Ridge Parent, sat down with district officials to discuss options.

"We were told there is nothing they can do for us," Weiby said. "That there is no easy way to alleviate our overcrowding as there was at Hillcrest."

District spokesman Tony Sanders, who also took part in the meeting, said "our conversation was, they want a fix and they want it now. If we're going to make boundary changes for the next school year, that decision has to be made now. And we have a process established. This is not a process that we want to rush through. It involves much more than Nature Ridge."

The last time the district redrew boundaries was in 2004. After U-46 made the decision to move to a "neighborhood schools model" - with a majority of students within walking distance of their assigned campus - a group of Elgin families filed a lawsuit claiming the new boundaries violated the constitutional rights of black and Hispanic students. That suit was granted class-action status last August, and has cost the district more than $8.2 million in attorney fees so far.

In reviewing boundaries, Sanders emphasized, "We don't just look at one year's enrollment. We have to look at it five years out, if enrollment is projected to increase or decrease. If you look at it based on current-year data, then you're just looking at a one-year solution."

After Weiby and several other Nature Ridge parents spoke out against the decision at recent board meetings, she said she was mailed a letter from the district suggesting parents who are concerned join the CAC and its enrollment and facilities committee.

"I've been doing that for two years now," Weiby said. "We don't know what else to do. By 2011, my son will be in fourth grade. I guess it's better than nothing, but I started this process when he was in kindergarten."

5 most overcrowded elementary schools in U-46

SchoolTownPercent of capacityLincoln Elementary Hoffman Estates 114.2