‘There’s equity involved’: West Ada proposes school restructuring amid parent backlash
West Ada parents have flooded the school district with questions about the proposed restructuring of alternative-education high schools, a change that would see Central Academy in Meridian close at the end of this school year.
Idaho’s largest school district sent a letter to parents Jan. 11 announcing the plan for consolidating three of its four alternative high schools into two. The plan would convert the building that houses Central Academy into the new home of the fourth alternative high school and a virtual-learning school.
Central Academy students would transfer to either Meridian Academy or Eagle Academy, depending on where they live. They would also have the option to attend the fourth alternative school, the Rebound School of Opportunity, which takes a different instructional approach than the three academies; or transition back into a traditional high school.
The school board has yet to decide on the changes.
For some students, these schools are ‘last stop’
The district’s four alternative high schools serve students in grades nine through 12 considered “at risk.” Central Academy is located at 6075 N. Locust Grove Road, Meridian Academy at 2311 E. Lanark St., Eagle Academy at 100 S. Academy Ave., and the Rebound School of Opportunity in a business center at 1450 E. Watertower St., Suite 150.
All four offer smaller-school environments for students who struggle at traditional schools, said Kristen Haener, the district’s administrator of alternative education.
“Students attend the academies for a variety of reasons,” Haener told the Idaho Statesman by phone. Some students struggle with anxiety in a large-school setting, and others may have responsibilities that affect their attendance, like caring for younger siblings or working a job, she said. Others might need additional support to succeed. “The list kind of goes on and on,” she said.
The three academies, which enroll roughly 175 students each, follow a “mastery-based” curriculum, where students move through lesson plans at their own pace. Rebound, which serves more than 250 students, uses an online program. Rebound is geared primarily toward 11th and 12th graders and was originally built as a “last stop for seniors in earning their high school diploma,” Haener said.
The four alternative high schools have fewer graduation requirements than traditional high schools in the district.
Haener said alternative schools have been in the district for over 20 years, and the programs, especially Rebound, have grown, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rebound has a capacity of 126 students across two daily sessions, morning and afternoon, with 63 students each. Haener said that last year, Rebound enrolled 253 students, twice its capacity.
“They’re just bursting at the seams,” Haener said. “They have kids working everywhere … in the conference room, the principal’s office, the counselor’s office, the teacher’s offices.”
A plan for restructuring
The district hopes that moving Rebound into the Central Academy building would give Rebound more room and permit higher enrollment.
“There’s some equity involved,” too, Haener said: Rebound students don’t have access to a cafeteria, a gymnasium, or even separate student and staff restrooms in the business center where the school is located — all facilities they would have in the Central Academy building.
The restructuring would also provide “more enrollment opportunities” for students at the Virtual School House, according to the Jan. 11 letter from the school district. The Virtual School House is considered a West Ada “School of Choice” and is not geared specifically toward at-risk students.
Haener told the Statesman that while students attend the school virtually, under the restructuring, Virtual School House staff could work from classrooms and offices in the Central Academy building. Virtual School House staff now work from portable classrooms behind Meridian Technical Charter High School near Locust Grove Road, she said.
The consolidation would also put Rebound and the virtual school, which serve the entire district, in a more centrally located area, Haener said. Both are overseen by the same principal, Michael Hanneman.
Parents concerned about ‘at-risk’ students
Not everyone is excited by the potential change.
Parents of students in the three academies gathered at Central Academy on Jan. 13 to discuss the proposal, voicing concerns about how the changes could affect students.
Concerns raised included how Central Academy students would adjust to transferring to new schools, what transportation would look like, whether students would still have access to career and technical education, and whether the quality of instruction would decrease at the remaining academies.
“Some parents are worried about how moving students to different schools may affect their educational experience, especially for those who have established strong relationships with current teachers and peers,” the district wrote in a letter to parents.
Parents are especially concerned about effects on students with disabilities, individualized education plans, and mental health or behavioral challenges.
“I do understand that at-risk students, when they find somewhere that works and they’re having success in an environment … it does, you know, ask a lot of them to relocate,” Haener said. “We’re dedicated to making sure that we do everything we can to help those students adjust to that transition.”
Haener said she believes Meridian and Eagle Academy will still “do great things” for its new students.
She said some students could stay in the Central building by transferring to Rebound, and this option might even be encouraged for 11th and 12th graders.
West Ada clarifies its position
Some parents also worry about how the two academies absorbing Central students would be affected. Under the new system, students from Central Academy transferring to the Eagle and Meridian academies would have the option of attending morning or afternoon instruction — or carrying on with full-day instruction.
Haener said parents have been concerned by and critical of the half-day instruction option, but she said she hopes to clear the air: “A full-day option is definitely available.”
Haener said half-day instruction is available at other schools in the district and would now be available at the academies, too. She said half-day attendance can benefit students who work jobs, are responsible for care of younger siblings, or struggle with attendance.
The academies would transition to a two-session schedule, morning and afternoon. Haener said she anticipates that with some students choosing a half-day track, seats will open up that will help the influx of students from Central.
The district also received backlash for its initial communication to parents, which failed to clarify that the restructuring decision has not been finalized. A follow-up communication sent to parents Jan. 13 addressed this, stating, “We have revised our communication strategies to ensure that all communities have the opportunity to provide input and stay informed moving forward.”
Follow-up communications have linked to a Google form where parents can provide feedback or ask questions. According to Niki Scheppers, the school district’s chief of staff and communications, the form had garnered 44 responses as of Jan. 23.
The district also clarified that Central Academy employees would have the opportunity to transfer to the Eagle or Meridian academies, Rebound, or another school within the district.
Haener said Rebound and Virtual School House staff, once consolidated into the Central Academy building, would be able to “do some crossover” in terms of instruction and aiding students in both schools. This would not involve a reduction in staff, she said.
“We actually anticipate the need … at Rebound will increase, because they are going to be able to more than double the amount of students that they have enrolled,” Haener said.
Scheppers told the Statesman by email that the restructuring would save the district $98,634 annually by no longer having to lease the spaces Rebound and the Virtual School House occupy. But in terms of the “overall budget impact,” Scheppers said, the restructuring would be “cost-neutral, as the same services — such as transportation, CTE shuttles, and online curriculum licenses — will continue to be provided to students.”
What’s next: Discussing the changes
Scheppers said the school board has yet to set a date to vote on the restructuring, which would take effect at the start of the 2025-26 school year.
The district has scheduled two open meetings to discuss the changes:
- 4:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3, at the Meridian Academy High School Gymnasium.
- 4.30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, at the Eagle Academy High School Gymnasium.
This story was originally published January 30, 2025 at 2:00 PM.
