WWS Board of School Trustees and Westfield City Council Joint Work Session

A Q&A Regarding the January 2026 Joint City Council and School Board Meeting

Thank you to everyone who attended or viewed our joint working session. We’ve received many questions and comments. This Q&A addresses common questions and clarifies information from the meeting and related data to support a shared understanding.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Did the demographic study say Westfield is no longer growing?

No. The study projects continued overall enrollment growth over the next 10 years—about 1,000 additional students district-wide.

However, the type and location of growth vary by grade level, with the largest increases projected at the high school level.

It is important to note, the study’s projections account only for current and previously approved housing projects and not potential future projects.

Capacity projections such as those presented by the demographer are planning tools, not closure triggers. They are used to model scenarios, not predict outcomes.

 

2. What does the 2025 demographic study project for total district enrollment over the next 10 years?

The study forecasts district-wide enrollment increasing from 10,314 students in 2025–26 to 11,725 students by 2035–36, which is an increase of 1,034 students (about 10%) over the 10-year forecast window.

 

3. Does the study show when that growth is expected to happen?

Yes. The study describes two phases:

• 2025–26 to 2030–31: enrollment grows from 10,314 to 11,348 (an increase of 906 students, as stated in the response)
• 2030–31 to 2035–36: enrollment grows from 11,348 to 11,725 (an increase of 505 students, as stated in the response)

The response summarizes this as stronger growth in the first half of the decade, followed by continued but slower growth.

 

4. What does the study project for K-5 enrollment over the forecast period?

The response provides these figures for K–5:

• 2025–26: 4,809
• 2030–31: 5,056
• 2035–36: 4,985

 

5. What does the study project for grades 6-8?

The response provides these figures for grades 6–8:

• 2025–26: 2,412
• 2030–31: 2,663
• 2035–36: 2,809

 

6. What does the study project for grades 9-12?

The response provides these figures for grades 9–12:

• 2025–26: 3,084
• 2030–31: 3,629
• 2035–36: 3,931

 

7. Is this a straight-line projection year to year?

No. The response emphasizes the study is a forecast, not a simple straight-line projection, and incorporates assumptions related to births, deaths, migration, housing turnover, and residential development.

 

8. Did the study show elementary enrollment is declining?

Not exactly. Elementary enrollment is projected to:

• Grow modestly in the near term
• Then level off and remain relatively stable

This means elementary growth is not accelerating, but it is also not disappearing in the immediate future.

It is important to remember that the study’s projections account only for current and previously approved housing projects and not potential future housing projects.

 

9. Why move forward with an elementary reconfiguration if growth is slowing?

The district’s position is that these changes are addressing:

• Enrollment growth that already exists
• Current crowding and imbalance among elementary schools

There is a limited window for opening or reconfiguring schools:

• Too early → financial strain
• Too late → overcrowded classrooms

The district believes the timing aligns with current needs. Projections of future growth leveling off does not mean elementary space is no longer needed. It means future growth is not accelerating beyond current levels. Current levels are currently starting to overextend our present facilities.

 

10. Is Westfield Elementary expected to be underfilled?

Concerns about long-term capacity are tied to future housing and migration trends, which will continue to be monitored. District leadership has stated that half-empty schools are not expected as the data supports enrollment that will be best served by eight elementary schools under current projections.

 

11. Why not focus entirely on the high school instead?

The district agrees that high school enrollment is growing the fastest and acknowledges pressure at that level.

Steps already being taken include:

• A project beginning at the high school this summer
• Continued long-term planning for secondary capacity

Elementary and secondary needs are being addressed on different timelines. Elementary and secondary needs are not competing decisions. They operate on different timelines, budgets, and facility constraints. We’re currently seeing the fruits of decisions made about the elementaries multiple years ago. Planning and projects for the high school are simultaneously underway.

 

12. Why use the current intermediate school as an elementary?

The district and school board view this as:

• A cost-effective use of an existing facility
• More fiscally responsible than building a new elementary school. The building is considered better suited for elementary use than for secondary programs.

Is the intermediate school/elementary school facility safe for children?

• Yes, the building is safe for children. It has been successfully used as an elementary and then as an intermediate school for decades with regular upgrades and renovations. Mold, asbestos, and air quality tests were commissioned and run by third parties in late 2025. The passing results and notes are available here.
• Recently, the media center for WES (to be renamed) was completed and is in use by WIS students. Further renovations and upgrades are coming soon as we prepare to transition the building back into an elementary school to match the quality of our other buildings.

 

13. Did the demographer say the district built schools in the wrong place?

The demographer shared general lessons from other districts, emphasizing that poor alignment between growth and facilities can create long-term challenges.

District leaders have determined that the current approach will help avoid those mistakes, not repeat them. The district, school board members, and city have used the demographer’s ongoing data over recent years to discuss and make these informed decisions.

The demographer shared lessons learned from other districts to emphasize the importance of alignment between growth and facilities. His role is not to approve or disapprove specific district decisions.

 

14. How does housing affect school enrollment?

According to the study:

• Birth rates alone are not enough to sustain growth
• Enrollment depends heavily on:
  • Housing availability
  • Turnover of existing homes
  • New residential construction

The study only assumes housing that is already approved, not speculative future development. Now that the city and schools are more aligned on this data, we can move forward with better transparency and information around how housing relates to school enrollment. WWS is still one of the key economic drivers for the city. People do and will continue to move here to enroll their children to receive a high-quality education.

 

15. Is open enrollment the solution to enrollment challenges?

Open enrollment was mentioned as something other districts have used, but it is not being presented as a current or proposed WWS strategy.

The district’s stated focus remains:

• Long-term planning
• Aligning facilities with realistic growth patterns

 

16. Why hold a joint City Council and School Board meeting?

The goals of the session include:

• Aligning city growth planning with school planning
• Clarifying how housing, demographics, and enrollment interact
• Encouraging collaboration and shared understanding
• Providing better transparency into decision-making and the data behind those decisions

Both bodies have expressed interest in continuing these conversations publicly.