RELATED: Lolli says DPS is not closing 9 schools
The original goal was for the task force to meet six times and make a recommendation by April 2, so that the school board’s formal decision could be made later in April or in May.
Now, the task force’s recommendation, through Lolli, will come after two meetings plus an aborted tour of under-enrolled schools. Lolli said the scheduled March 6 task force meeting has been canceled.
RELATED: Local schools vary widely in hours of instruction
“I think it will be difficult to consider all of the information, but we have been working on this for at least two and a half months at this point, so a lot of things have been digested and thought through, and we just need to make the best decision to serve our students,” she said.
MORE: Find out how you can comment on potential Dayton school closures
************
EARLIER REPORT:
Dayton Public Schools will have a full day Tuesday, as the district’s facilities task force meets at 9:30 a.m., the school board holds its monthly business meeting at 5 p.m., and students and teachers return from a four-day weekend.
The facilities task force is studying possible closure of multiple Dayton schools because enrollment declines have left several buildings well below capacity, according to district officials.
RELATED: DPS task force stops tour after legal challenge
At the task force’s first meeting Jan. 24, the 18-member group talked extensively about school quality and academic performance. But its Feb. 6 school tours were cut short due to a court challenge over whether that bus trip was illegal under Ohio public meetings law.
An attorney representing the school district has said no further group tours are scheduled, and the task force’s remaining meetings will be open to the public.
RELATED: Dayton school board parts ways with Corr
The 5 p.m. school board meeting is the first in five weeks where residents can make public comments to the board, as that only occurs at the monthly business meeting.
Since the last business meeting, the district has parted ways with Superintendent Rhonda Corr, discussed closing schools and had a student arrested for having a loaded gun at a middle school, the same day as a tragic school shooting in Florida.
RELATED: Teen arrested for gun at Dayton middle school
Also, later this week, the DPS facilities task force will hold a community meeting to hear public input, at 6 p.m. Thursday, at Meadowdale Elementary, 3871 Yellowstone Ave.
About the Author
