Lincoln Public Schools is considering adding Lincoln Southwest to a list of high schools restricting transfers because of capacity concerns even as the district prepares to open Standing Bear High School next fall.
Lincoln High, Lincoln East and North Star have had a policy in place since 2019 that blocks transfers in grades 10-12 and sets an early deadline for eighth graders looking to transfer into one of those schools from outside the defined attendance area.
The Lincoln Board of Education would add Southwest to that list under a proposal that will go before the board at its Jan. 10 meeting.
Parents would have until Jan. 31 to submit a school choice form at if their incoming ninth grader wants to transfer out of their attendance area to attend one of those four high schools.
LPS has an open enrollment policy for high school, meaning students can attend schools outside their attendance area.
Lincoln Southwest has more than 2,150 students this school year, making it the second-largest high school behind East (2,252). Lincoln High has 2,147 students, while North Star has 2,053. The optimal enrollment at each is 1,850.
According to early projections, those schools are expected to stay above the 2,000-mark next school year except for East, which is expected to drop to about 1,800 with Standing Bear opening at 70th Street and Saltillo Road in 2023.
Depending on how the numbers play out, LPS would consider reopening schools to transfers at any point, said Matt Larson, associate superintendent of instruction.
“We have that flexibility,†he said.
But gauging high school enrollment is tricky.
Standing Bear is projected to have about 580 students in its inaugural year, but those estimates essentially assume all students in the Standing Bear attendance area will go there. If fewer students decide to transfer to the new school, for example, East may not see the big drop officials are hoping will ease the population.
“I would be surprised if East High drops that much,†Larson said. “There’s an assumption that everyone is going to go there (Standing Bear), and I think that assumption is unlikely to follow all the way through.â€
If Lincoln Northwest — at Northwest 48th and West Holdrege streets — is any example, Standing Bear could indeed see lower-than-expected enrollment.
With no senior class because of low interest, Northwest opened last year with just less than 500 students, down from the 630 officials originally projected.
Estimates, however, for next fall show Northwest ticking closer to its 1,000-student capacity at 829 students, including 245 freshmen and 247 sophomores. Northwest currently has 514 students.
“This is filling in exactly as we hoped,†said Lincoln Board of Education member Lanny Boswell during a student learning committee meeting in December. “I’m really, really pleased.â€
Standing Bear and Northwest, which are identical in design, were built with funds from the $290 million bond issue voters approved in 2020. While the schools were initially built to hold 1,000 students, they can be expanded with additions through future bond initiatives. The two high schools are also home to athletic complexes to be shared by city schools.
In December, LPS opened enrollment for Standing Bear for all grades but announced the Grizzlies would not field a varsity football team.
Those interested in attending Standing Bear must fill out a high school choice form and return it to their school counselor. Students who turn in their form after Jan. 31 may be denied a transfer.
Current high schoolers interested in participating in athletics or activities also need to notify Standing Bear athletic director Jeremy Schroeder by May 1 of their intent to transfer. Failure to do so may affect a student’s eligibility to take part in varsity activities, LPS said.
LPS also plans to set its option enrollment deadline for K-12 students transferring from outside the district for Aug. 4.
Officials are considering adding Lincoln Southwest to the list of schools restricting transfers from grades 10-12 next year. East, Lincoln High and North Star have already done so since 2019 due to capacity concerns.
Lincoln Southwest students sit in the high school's commons area Aug. 14, 2020. LPS officials are considering adding Southwest to the list of high schools restricting transfers.