photo by: File photo

A concept showing a map of "secondary assignment" zones presented during the Boundary Advisory Committee meeting on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024.

The Lawrence school district is hosting forums this week to gather public input on proposed changes to boundaries for its four middle schools.

The boundary changes would enable the district to reassign sixth- through eighth-grade students who don’t want to take part in Liberty Memorial Central Middle School’s switchover to a STEAM curriculum. The school’s science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics curriculum will begin with the 2024-25 school year. The curricular change was motivated by declining enrollment figures and originally came up as part of a broader discussion relating to the closure of Pinckney and Broken Arrow elementary schools.

Earlier this month, the district’s Boundary Advisory Committee was presented with multiple proposals from consulting firm RSP & Associates outlining boundary “concepts” that would designate a student’s “secondary assignment.” Those proposals are scheduled to be presented from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Lawrence High School, 1901 Louisiana St., and from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Free State High, 4700 Overland Drive.

A final report on the middle school boundary recommendations is scheduled to go to the school board on Feb. 26.