JENKS, Okla. — The Jenks Board of Education approved plans to redistrict its elementary schools, forcing some students to switch schools starting in 2025/26.
2 News listened to parents who shared their concerns and questions taking those to get answers with the district.
These are the maps showing the new boundaries for the district.
Many parents, were shocked when they received a text message from the district announcing that change last in the evening on Nov. 11.
"My heart kind of dropped like I said I’ve been in Jenks all my life and I’ve never seen this happen," said Jenks native and alumni Kelsey Graham.
Her son is in first grade. Their home falls within a new boundary line.
She said her son was excited to stay at his school in the multi-age classroom program. That's where the students move up to the next grade with the same class.
Now that opportunity may not be available.
"The fact that he was going to have that consistency, he was very, very excited about it. So, to break that to him, I tried not to, but I did tell him. And he was a little bit sad about it but I told him everything is going to be fine but that’s my biggest concern I may even fight for him to stay in that if they want us to move," Graham said.
2 News recently covered another district going through a similar process. Broken Arrow middle schools were approved to be redistricted. However, the district made it clear that no students will be grandfathered in or transferred to the schools they were initially at.
- Similar coverage>>> Broken Arrow middle schoolers forced to change schools? | BAPS redistricting
Jenks may be flexible in certain circumstances, according to the district, but most students will have to face the change.
After announcing the new boundaries, parents quickly took to social media to share their concerns.
Numerous parents reached out to 2 News, including Graham.
"So that’s really my main concern is all the logistics of how this is going to happen," said Graham.
After hearing parents' concerns and questions, we visited the district to see if it could provide more answers.
A main issue brought up by parents, three of the four schools will have new boundaries, Jenks Southeast being the only one unchanged.
- ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: REDISTRICTING: Broken Arrow PS board approves plans to redistrict middle schools
2 News asked why.
"When we first started to discuss this topic I shared with you that we rely on information from demographers," said Jeffery Beyer the chief operations officer at Jenks. "Southeast is in a position where we do not need to create capacity at Southeast and we do not need to create capacity at East Elementary."
He said the growth on the district's west side is causing capacity issues, which unevenly impact the schools west of the Arkansas River.
He said they were left with limited options.
"When schools reach capacity districts really have two options, they can build new classrooms or they can redistribute students to sites that may have available classrooms," said Beyer.
While the changes have been approved, parents will have an opportunity to voice concerns to the district.
It's holding a community meeting on November 19 to hopefully answer parents' leftover questions.
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