District 301 releases boundary change information

Citing slower than anticipated housing growth, Central Community Unit District 301 has released proposed boundary changes that aim to even out enrollment at two elementary schools.

If approved by the school board, between 100 and 200 students from six subdivisions would move from Prairie View Elementary to Country Trails Elementary next fall.

The Elgin subdivisions, divided into five boundary sections, are all south of Route 20 and bounded by Russell Road to the West and Randall Road to the east.

They include the Providence, Williamsburg, Woodbridge, Tall Oaks, Montague Forest and Russinwood subdivisions.

According to district data, Prairie View is packed with 648 students this year. Enrollment at Country Trails is just 188.

According to enrollment projections, if all five boundary sections were shifted, next year Country Trails would see an enrollment of 439 students. Prairie View would have 419 students.

The district also is considering a plan to shift boundaries in the Cedar Grove and Stonebrook subdivisions to balance the student populations between Howard B. Thomas Elementary in Burlington and Prairie View in Elgin, as well as the district's two middle schools, Superintendent Brad Hawk said. About 24 students would be affected by a shift.

The district's last boundary change took place in March 2007, months before Country Trails Elementary and Prairie Knolls Middle School, both in Elgin, were set to open.

The boundaries, according to Hawk, "were developed due to housing needs of the district at that specific time."

With only two new homes in the district last December, Hawk said it became clear that shifting boundaries was necessary.

While it previously was projected that a future school construction referendum would be needed by 2011, Hawk said the proposed boundary changes would postpone such a move, "for numerous years depending on how quickly the housing market rebounds."

Community members can hear more about the boundary changes at 7 p.m. Monday at Country Trails Elementary, 3701 Highland Woods Blvd., Elgin.

The proposal can be viewed at the district's Web site, www.burlington.k12.il.us. The school board is scheduled to vote on the proposals April 6.