October 27, 2026 – Decatur Public Schools District 61 has released three preliminary scenarios outlining potential changes to its school buildings and grade-level configurations as part of its Roadmap 2030 Master Facilities Realignment.
The scenarios, developed with help from architectural firm Wold Architects and Engineers, are intended to serve as starting points for discussion as the district addresses declining enrollment, a budget deficit, staffing shortages and the goal of providing more equitable access to high-quality educational programming.
Superintendent Dr. Nicole Nash Moody said the district is working to develop a building configuration that better serves students and staff.
Wold Architects and Engineers toured district schools, met with administrators and reviewed building blueprints to assess current facilities, available classroom space and projected enrollment. The scenarios use enrollment projections for the 2029-2030 school year to help determine how district buildings could be used more efficiently.
Two documents are guiding the process: a SWOT analysis examining the district’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and a set of educational planning commitments intended to guide the design of schools and learning environments.
Moody said the SWOT analysis was developed with input from the Roadmap 2030 Committee during earlier phases of the process. The district is using that feedback to identify existing strengths, areas for improvement and challenges that must be addressed.
The three draft scenarios propose different grade-level configurations. You can find those below. District officials emphasized that the drafts are preliminary and do not represent final closure decisions.
“Every school is going to be impacted, but it may not be the exact schools and how it’s laid out in the scenarios right now,” Moody said.
School choice and grade-level changes
District officials say a major objective of the realignment is to expand equitable access to magnet programs and school choice throughout Decatur.
Moody said community feedback has highlighted concerns about preserving existing schools and the effects of changing grade-level configurations on magnet programs.
The district is also exploring a return to a more traditional middle school model, with a focus on grades six through eight.
Officials said research on middle school education suggests that concentrating on these grade levels can help prepare students for college and career pathways while creating smaller learning communities and opportunities for teacher collaboration.
Moody acknowledged that changing grade configurations would affect how school choice and magnet programs operate.
The district is examining ways to make those opportunities available to more families rather than limiting access to a smaller portion of the community.
One high school remains a possibility
The potential consolidation of Decatur’s two high schools remains one of the major questions in the Roadmap 2030 process.
Moody said current enrollment projections and building capacities point toward a possible transition to one high school, although the district is continuing to examine different options.
“Fundamentally, it looks like we’re going toward one high school, but again, it’s a scenario,” Moody said.
She said the district must consider additional factors, including community response, school culture and athletics, before making a recommendation.
The scenarios also show that existing high school facilities could continue to be used for other educational purposes even if their current configurations change.
Budget, enrollment and staffing concerns
The realignment is intended to help the district respond to a projected decline in student enrollment and its budget deficit. Officials said more efficient use of buildings could help control facility-related costs and address staffing challenges.
Moody said the process is not solely about finances but acknowledged that cost control is part of the equation.
She also identified the shortage of certified teachers as a significant district concern. During the news conference, officials cited a shortage of 82 certified teachers.
Money said the district is not currently planning staffing reductions as part of the realignment. Instead, she said consolidating and restructuring schools could help place more certified teachers in classrooms and reduce reliance on permanent substitute teachers.
The proposed scenarios are based on contractual class-size limits, which officials said will remain part of the planning process.
Public input and next steps
The Roadmap 2030 Committee includes teachers, principals, union leaders, community members and other stakeholders. The committee meets monthly to review and refine the scenarios, with additional discussions involving Wold Architects and Engineers.
Moody said the committee reviewed the initial scenarios and determined that further revisions were needed. The district is already working on updated options.
The district will host community forums on December 7, 2026, and January 25, 2027, at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on both dates. The meetings will also be livestreamed for people unable to attend in person. Residents can additionally submit feedback through the district’s Roadmap 2030 website.
District officials said the forums are intended to ensure community input is considered before recommendations are presented to the Board of Education.
According to Moody, a presentation is expected before the board on February 9, 2027, followed by a board vote during the second board meeting in February, which she identified as February 27. The exact meeting date should be confirmed with the district.
Moody acknowledged that the changes could be controversial, particularly for families and residents with longstanding ties to individual schools.
“As a leader, as a superintendent in this district, as a mom in this district, I must stand in front and say, yes, I understand this is what’s been, some heartstrings are tied to that, yet let’s look and reimagine a different Decatur that is good and excellent for everyone,” Moody said.
She said the district’s broader goal is to make Decatur Public Schools a stronger educational option for more families, with improved academic achievement, attendance, professional development and access to customized college and career pathways.
Final decisions have not been made. District officials say the scenarios will continue to evolve as the committee considers building capacity, enrollment projections, finances, educational programming and community feedback.
