The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) currently is re-drawing school area boundary lines across the district. As a result of this re-districting, MMSD is planning to move the Transition Education Program (TEP) from Emerson school to Lapham-Marquette. TEP provides educational services and support for about 200 sheltered homeless students each year. These sheltered students are mainstreamed in classrooms at the school for an average of 30-40 days. The two main shelters in the city are the YWCA and the Salvation Army. TEP also serves students who have shorter stays in motels around the city.
The decision of where to move TEP staff and students currently is before MMSD's Long-Range Planning Committee (LRPC). This committee is considering three options. Option 3 (proposed by MMSD) moves TEP to Lapham-Marquette. Option 3a (proposed by TEP staff) divides TEP between Lapham-Marquette and Emerson. Option 3b (proposed by Lapham-Marquette parents) asks the district to consider distributing TEP students among 4 to 8 schools. The only school that Option 3b currently commits to being one of the TEP schools is Lapham-Marquette.
We do not know when the LRPC will decide on this issue. However, we expect they will make a decision no later than early January. Their next meeting is Monday, December 18. At that meeting they will discuss the various options. Members of the LRPC are: Ruth Robarts (238-2273 or rrobarts@ madison.k12.wi.us), Ray Allen (829-2772 or rallen@madison.k12.wi.us) and Carol Carstensen (255-5931 or ccarstensen@ madison.k12.wi.us).
If you would like more information about the options or the process, you may contact Anne Katz (256-2958 or annedave@chorus.net) or Carla Shedivy (251-4059 or carla@bsharp.org).
-Gay Davidson-Zielske