Englewood School District 2025 School Consolidation Survey

Magellan Strategies is pleased to present the topline results of an online survey of 309 parents of students or staff members of Englewood Schools. The interviews were conducted from January 27th – February 10th , 2025.

Parents and staff in Englewood Schools reported high awareness of the potential consolidation or restructuring of Englewood Middle School (EMS) and Englewood Leadership Academy (ELA), with more than four in five indicating they had seen or heard at least some information. When initially asked about preferred outcomes, the most common choice was merging EMS and ELA with EMS as the single school, followed by consolidating the schools into a new school with a new identity. Other options, including maintaining the blended model or keeping the schools separate, received notably less support.

Those who supported consolidation or merging most often cited efficiency and unity. Respondents emphasized that operating two schools in one building was not an effective use of resources and that combining them would allow for expanded academic programs, extracurricular opportunities, and better allocation of staff. Many also highlighted the social benefits of eliminating perceived divisions between students and creating a more unified school culture, particularly through a new identity that would provide a “fresh start” for students and staff.

At the same time, some respondents preferred maintaining elements of the current structure, particularly to preserve advanced academic opportunities associated with ELA. These individuals valued smaller class sizes, more rigorous coursework, and personalized learning environments, expressing concern that a full merger could dilute these benefits and drive families to leave the district. Others supported the blended model as a compromise that maintained advanced programming while improving efficiency and access to shared resources.

As respondents were presented with additional information about enrollment trends, educational quality, and program offerings, support for consolidation or merging strengthened. As shown on page 6, merging EMS and ELA with EMS as the single school consistently received the highest level of support across scenarios, often followed closely by consolidation into a new school. Information highlighting increased access to courses, electives, and extracurricular activities in a combined school reinforced this preference, while scenarios describing reduced opportunities under separate school models further decreased support for maintaining separation.

Financial and operational considerations also influenced opinions. When respondents learned about cost savings associated with combining schools—including efficiencies in staffing, administration, and facility use—support for merging increased to over four in ten, as shown on page 9. Similarly, scenarios that emphasized additional costs or inefficiencies associated with maintaining separate schools or even the blended model led respondents to favor consolidation or merging options that streamlined operations and reduced redundancy.

Community and equity considerations further reinforced these trends. Respondents recognized that combining schools could improve access to academic programs, extracurricular activities, and advanced coursework, while also creating a more representative and inclusive student body, as outlined on page 14. However, some concerns remained about losing school identity, reducing choice, and potentially impacting families who preferred smaller or more specialized learning environments.

In the final informed question, merging EMS and ELA with EMS as the single school emerged as the clear top preference, followed by consolidation into a new school with a new identity, while all other options received relatively limited support. Final comments reflected a continued tension between efficiency and program quality, with respondents calling for transparency in the decision-making process, careful consideration of advanced academic offerings, and thoughtful handling of school identity and branding. Overall, the survey showed strong and consistent support for unifying the middle school structure, provided that academic quality and student needs remain central to the decision.