Sun Prairie residents agree that additional high school space is needed, with the ideal school size being no more than 1,500 students.
Those were among the findings of last week's survey of the Community Response Team, a group of 96 randomly chosen residents who have been asked to weigh in on recommendations from the High School Planning Team.
Due to a technology glitch (see related story), the respondents' answers were not available immediately. They were provided late last week after being manually tabulated by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, which conducted the survey.
All of the questions revolved around a problem statement the planning team developed: High school space is needed. The existing high school, by board guidelines and community expectations, contains barriers to learning due to growing enrollments. The solutions must be cost effective.
Ninety-six percent of the respondents said they support this statement.
Bigger not necessarily better
Here's how the group responded to questions on potential school size.
Would you support a maximum Sun Prairie high school size of 1,000 students?
Yes, 19 percent
No 81 percent
Would you support a maximum Sun Prairie high school size of 1,500 students?
Yes, 57 percent
No, 43 percent
Would you support a maximum Sun Prairie high school size of 2,000 students?
Yes, 43 percent
No, 57 percent
Would you support a maximum Sun Prairie high school size of 2,500 students?
Yes, 32 percent
No, 68 percent
Would you support a maximum Sun Prairie high school size of 3,000 students?
Yes, 26 percent
No, 73 percent
Would you support a maximum Sun Prairie high school size of 3,500 students?
Yes, 19 percent
No, 81 percent
Other findings:
Seventy-nine percent said they are satisfied with the current grade configurations for buildings.
Fifty-five percent would support changes to the elementary (K-5) configuration.
Sixty percent would support change to the middle school (6-8) configuration.
Sixty-three percent would support change to the high school (9-12) configuration.
How much would you pay?
On the issue of cost, the group was asked the maximum tax increase they would support for a solution to the space problem. The largest segment -- 49 percent -- said they would support "something" while 8 percent said they would support "no increase at all."
Nine percent said they would support a tax increase of 81 cents for every $1,000 of assessed property (mill rate); 26 percent supported a mill rate hike of 82 cents; and 16 percent supported a mill rate rise of $1 or more.
Pool, field house and PAC
Seventy-five percent indicated a pool should be part of the immediate solution. Even more -- 89 percent -- answered yes to the question: Would you support a pool ever?
Sixty percent support the addition of a field house. Seventy-nine percent would like to see one added at some future point.
Sixty-six percent support a solution that includes a performing arts center. Eighty-two percent would like one added in the future.
Next steps
The High School Planning Team will meet next on March 5 to discuss the results.
The CRT will convene four more times as a means of determining if the planning team is on the right track.
