'We don't need a Band-Aid': Clifton Hills, Calvin Donaldson families concerned about school rezoning, call for new school

Some parents and families living downtown whose children attend schools like Clifton Hills and Calvin Donaldson Elementary are concerned about how the district's proposed school zone changes will affect their children, especially as district officials call it a "temporary fix."

On Tuesday, Hamilton County Schools officials held the second of three zoning meetings to discuss proposed changes likely to impact nearly a dozen schools.

About 75 students who live in Clifton Hills Elementary's attendance zone would be moved to Calvin Donaldson and 15-60 students who live in St. Elmo and currently attend Calvin Donaldson would be bused to Lookout Mountain Elementary under the proposal. The new attendance zones would take effect this August for the 2020-21 school year, according to district officials.

But as community members gathered at The Bethlehem Center in Alton Park on Tuesday night pointed out the state of the schools' facilities, district officials acknowledged the is plan would be a temporary fix.

Graham Harrell hooks up a pressure washer at Clifton Hills Elementary School on Saturday, July 27, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Volunteers were on hand to help prepare the school for the new year as part of a county-wide community volunteer program at almost 30 area schools. / Staff file photo

The downtown area really needs a new elementary school, Superintendent Bryan Johnson told the crowd gathered in the center's gymnasium.

"Growth in District 4 [downtown] has been quick. ... Two, three years ago, we put in portables at Clifton Hills. Last year, we put in more portables. We can't add anymore," Johnson said. "Downtown, there will be a need for a new school."

Clifton Hills is currently at 140% capacity and Calvin Donaldson is at 106%, according to district data. But under the proposed plan, Clifton Hills will still be at 123% capacity and Calvin Donaldson will jump to 119%. Lookout Mountain will only increase enrollment from 70 to 76%.

Community member Sarita Burch asked why uproot children and families now if there isn't a permanent solution.

"How long have we know that Clifton Hills has portables there? And we are just now coming to the realization that we need to have these children move? It's been a minute," Burch said. "These issues have been here. We don't need a Band-Aid, we need some permanent solutions."

The rezoning also comes as the district takes in preliminary recommendations from an ongoing facilities study that could potentially affect most of the schools in the district. The report from MGT Consulting Group already recommends adding a new K-5 elementary school to downtown Chattanooga and tearing down Clifton Hills Elementary, among other changes.

But the facilities plan is far from permanent - the school board hasn't even received final recommendations from the group yet, and many have hinted at taking a much longer process to develop a 10-year facilities plan.

The short-term solution could have major ramifications for families in these areas, many of them low-income or non-English speaking, community members pointed out.

The Latino population has grow considerably in recent years, with a majority of Clifton Hills students considered English-language learners. And many of their families might not have cars or ways to pick up their children from school.

Keyche Benford's son attends The Howard School, and though he can take a bus to school, she says things happen. She often finds herself scooping up kids who overslept or couldn't make it school. Sometimes, parents have to take their child to school or pick them up early, and buses don't go to Lookout Mountain, Benford said.

"We are so big in Hamilton County about attendance, but we are talking about lack of transportation, lack of staff, taking children out of their comfort zones, and what if the parents can't get them to the school on Lookout Mountain?" Benford said. "That's something you need to look at, because even when the buses are running, stuff happens."

"And I can't be driving kids all over this city up Lookout Mountain," she added.

Students who currently attend a school, but are slated to be rezoned will be able to be stay in their current school through a "grandfathering" process, but transportation will not be provided. Younger siblings who do not yet attend a specific school will have to attend their zoned school.

Families would be able to apply for a hardship transfer to try and keep siblings in the same school, but such transfers aren't guaranteed and the district has cut down on the process - and the requests granted - in recent years.

Johnson told the crowd that he and his staff are listening, though.

"I promise you, we are with you," Johnson said. "We want the public to respond to [the plan] so we can take all that into consideration. There is still room for adjustment."

But not everyone will be happy in the end, Johnson added.

"When you redistrict, not everyone likes it. There's never going to be a redistricting plan that everyone likes."

The district is holding one more zoning meeting this week for Harrison Elementary on Thursday at 6 p.m. The school board is expected to review the recommendations and vote on a final version in March.

For more information, visit: www.hcde.org/redistricting.

Contact Meghan Mangrum at mmangrum@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592. Follow her on Twitter @memangrum.