Starside Elementary in De Soto and Mill Creek Middle School in Lenexa are expected to both be over capacity by the 2027-2028 school year with growth booming on the western side of USD 232.
That’s according to an enrollment analysis from school planning firm RSP Associates presented to the USD 232 school board earlier this month.
The report outlined how new residential growth, the addition of a new Panasonic EV battery plant and other expected investments on the old Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant in De Soto could draw in more residents and lead to more growth in the district’s student population.
Rob Schwarz, RSP CEO and a USD 232 grad, said the school district is on track to gain about 550 students across its system within the next five years.
“We’re sitting in good position with capacity,” he said. “It’s just where the buildings are in relation to our kids, that’s going to be a continued, ongoing struggle.”
Middle school feeder system may need to be redrawn
- As it stands now, Mill Creek Middle School, which is in Lenexa, will exceed capacity by 2027.
- Currently, Mill Creek takes students from Mize, Horizon and Riverview elementary schools.
- Schwarz suggested the easiest way to solve Mill Creek’s capacity issues might be to redraw the entire district’s middle school feeder system but did not specify any details about how that might best be done.
There isn’t an easy solution for Starside
- Of the new growth in the district, Starside in De Soto is expected to absorb roughly 40% of it at the elementary school level.
- On paper, Schwarz said USD 232 has more than enough capacity in elementary schools to serve that population for the foreseeable future, just not in the right places.
- There isn’t another elementary school in De Soto to take on some of the overflow from Starside either.
- The closest schools are Mize, which is almost eight miles away, and Horizon, which is more than 10 miles away. Both of those schools are in western Shawnee.
Mize Elementary has a 2024-2025 building addition
- Mize Elementary in west Shawnee is also projected to be pushing capacity by 2027, as well.
- But a $2.1 million building addition expected to be wrapped up by the 2024-2025 school year should accommodate that, Schwarz said.
East side of USD 232 growth continues
- Residential neighborhoods on the eastern side of the district in Shawnee are projected to continue to grow. That remains, Schwarz said, where the “greatest density of students” who feed into USD 232 schools reside.
- However, the existing school capacity should be able to accommodate that at least through the next decade.
- Additionally, De Soto High School, which draws students from neighborhoods on the east and west side of the district, is not expected to fill up during this timeframe.
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