Deja Vu: Elmbrook Wrestles with Whether to Add 4K

If residents felt deja vu watching this week's Elmbrook School Board meeting, it was hardly surprising.

For two hours, board members debated the pros and cons of adding a 4-year-old kindergarten program. And more than a dozen residents gave impassioned speeches, mostly in favor of 4K.

Many of the same arguments were made in 2006 when the board voted 4-3 to create a pilot 4K program in two schools. And again in 2007 when the board ended the experiment and opted against 4K.

The seven-member board - with two new members - did not appear eager this week to add 4K despite its revenue-generating advantages. 

Board President Tom Gehl was noncommittal on whether the board would make a decision at its Feb. 22 meeting. One mother urged action, noting that deadlines are rapidly approaching to enroll in 4K at other local private and parochial schools for the 2011-12 school year.

Only one board member - Bob Ziegler - said he would vote for 4K. Gehl, Meg Wartman and Glen Allgaier continued to raise numerous questions about whether it was needed.

The two newest board members, Jean Lambert and Kathryn Wilson, didn't indicate how they might vote.

A major benefit was the approximately additional $1 million in revenue 4K would bring - money that could be used not only to fund 4K but other K-12 programs. 

That is huge, given Elmbrook's projected future multimillion deficits and its declining resident enrollment.

But that additional $1 million would come largely from district property taxes. The owner of a $300,000 home would pay about $70 to $100 more in school taxes annually.

Supporters also touted 4K's academic and social and emotional benefits for the children. They said it was essential to keep Elmbrook competitive with other public and private schools that offer 4K.

Once families start their children in another district, they often become established there and will never enroll in Elmbrook, some said. 

"We moved from Madison to Brookfield...and we're looking at private schools right now," Nicole Wolfe said. "You would possibly lose my daughter."

Trish Ormsby, a real estate agent, said 4K is a deal-killer for two of her current clients, families each with two children. "They won't look here," she said. 

Critics said studies show that 4K academic benefits fizzle by second grade when tests show little difference between students who attended 4K and those who did not.

Resident Roger Johnson said Elmbrook shouldn't adopt 4K until it decides other major issues, such as whether enrollment declines and budget deficits necessitate closing an elementary school.

Gehl said he believes Elmbrook should reduce its non-resident enrollment - currently about 12 percent of total enrollment - and size the district's schools for just its resident families. Elmbrook accepts students from other districts through the open enrollment and Chapter 220 integration programs.

But others worried that committing to a smaller district with fewer students or schools would hurt Elmbrook's reputation and academic success. That could lead to a "death spiral" that would mean fewer families choose to live in Brookfield, driving property taxes down which would mean less revenue to maintain a top-notch district, said resident Brad McMath.

Some speakers noted that Elmbrook's standing in ACT scores has dropped to third in the area, behind Whitefish Bay and Mequon-Thiensville. Whitefish Bay has 4K. Mequon-Thiensville does not, but it remains a contentious issue there like Elmbrook.

The Mequon-Thiensville School Board on Dec. 22 voted 4-3 to reject 4K, despite the administration's recommendation to implement it.