School Board Set to Discuss Committee Recommendations Feb. 17, Vote in March
In a series of community meetings in January, DVUSD presented its potential school attendance boundary adjustments to balance enrollment within the district over the next decade.
The district’s long-range planning committee has been analyzing the demographer’s enrollment projections and suggested boundary changes, alongside parent input to assist the district in developing a comprehensive boundary change plan that optimizes the utilization of schools and facilities.
After its final meeting on Feb. 4, the long-range planning committee will finalize its recommendations and present them to the School Board at the Feb. 17 meeting. Any boundary changes require School Board approval by vote and would take effect beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. No changes will be made to the high school boundaries at this time.
SOURCE DVUSD, City of Phoenix & Google Maps
The majority of the demographer’s suggested changes impact the far north portion of the district from the Norterra area all the way to Anthem.
In the Anthem/Tramonto area, as the area ages out, enrollment is projected to decline over the next nine years, with most schools at 50 percent of their capacity, except for Canyon Springs and Desert Mountain, as those schools will continue to take in more students from residential growth areas, according to a district presentation on Jan. 20 at Boulder Creek High School.
1 Canyon Springs/ Anthem Schools
To balance enrollment in that region, suggested changes could impact students currently boundaried to Canyon Springs east of I-17. The proposal includes moving those students to Anthem School, which would accommodate future growth at Canyon Springs. Canyon Springs’ new boundaries would extend south to Loop 303.
Sonoran Foothills School and Union Park School are projected to be well over capacity in the next decade with the influx of future residential growth.
2 Sonoran Foothills/Sunset Ridge Schools
In the Carefree Crossings/Amber Hills area between Carefree Highway and Dove Valley Road and I-17 and Paloma Parkway, the suggested change includes moving those students currently boundaried to Sonoran Foothills School over to Sunset Ridge School in Tramonto.
3 Norterra Canyon/ Union Park Schools
To address overcrowding at Union Park, the suggested change includes moving a large portion of students boundaried to Union Park School over to Norterra Canyon School. Students from Dixileta at approximately 23rd Avenue and east to approximately 18th Avenue and from the CAP canal on the west to Norterra Parkway south, including homes north of Copperhead Trail could move to Norterra Canyon. Other suggested changes include extending Norterra Canyon’s boundary from Dixileta north to Sonoran Desert Drive.
4 Stetson Hills/Inspiration Mountain Schools
Stetson Hills School on the west side of I-17 has a vast area of future growth anticipated and the school is projected to be over capacity by 2035. Suggested changes moving a portion of Stetson Hills students over to Inspiration Mountain School by extending Inspiration Mountain School’s boundary north to Loop 303 from 51st Avenue to the Terramar boundary on the west.
5 Inspiration/Las Brisas Schools
Other suggested changes include moving a portion of students from Inspiration Mountain School over to Las Brisas which is projected to be under capacity in the next nine years. Students living north of Happy Valley Road from 56th Avenue on the west to 49th Avenue on the east, north to 55th Avenue ending at the entrance to Deem Hills Community Park would be moved to Las Brisas, along with a small block between 51st Avenue and 49th Avenue and Saddlehorn Road.
Students currently attending a school affected by boundary changes can opt to stay at their current school with a guaranteed spot through open enrollment, but they would lose bus service. Community input can be sent to future@dvusd.org. For information, visit www.dvusd.org/boundaries.
By Karen Goveia
editor@valleyvibenews.com