Here are the boundaries for Clovis’ newest elementary school. What parents should know

The Clovis Unified school board on Wednesday approved boundary changes for the Clovis East area to accommodate a new elementary school.

The updated attendance zone, which will pull students from one of the area’s most populous schools, becomes effective in the 2024-25 school year when the new school opens.

“It didn’t impact any students from some schools,” Denver Stairs, the assistant superintendent of facility services, said during a presentation about the changes.

Set to open in August 2024 to prevent overcrowding, the school will be the district’s 35th elementary school, located near Fowler and McKinley avenues in the southeast area of the city.

Boris Elementary will be the most impacted as the new elementary school will draw students from parts of Floradora, McKinley, Clinton and Sunnyside avenues. More than 600 students attended the K-6 campus last school year, but Clovis Unified projects the school exceeding the 800-student capacity as soon as next school year.

Within the next three years, Boris, Oraze, Reagan and Temperance-Kutner elementary schools have “substantial” projected growth because of development in the Loma Vista and southeast Fresno areas, according to a district study of school enrollment.

Boris Elementary is estimated to reach a nearly 1,000-student population by the 2025-26 school year.

The school enrollment study also showed that Clovis East area elementary schools will be overcrowded with over 1,000 students within 10 years. Most of those schools’ capacity are either 750 or 800 students.

Though affected, not many students will come from Temperance-Kutner Elementary because of the commercial property in the area. An even smaller part of the Miramonte Elementary zone will be a portion of the new elementary school boundary.

Here’s what else families need to know.

How can I find the map?

The board-approved boundary for the Clovis East area is on the district’s website, along with information on the district’s process and other resources about the boundary changes.

How does it affect my household?

Families can see how the change specifically impacts them, if in any way, by looking up their address on the interactive map the district posted on its site.

The changes don’t start until August 2024.

If sixth graders during the 2024-25 school year want to remain at what is now their current school instead of attending the new school, they can do so, the district said. CUSD would also consider their siblings’ enrollment at that school.

Any other requests to attend a school that’s not a part of a student’s new attendance zone will follow the open enrollment and intradistrict transfer process. Open enrollment and intradistrict transfers are requests to attend schools within the district that a student isn’t zoned for.

How did Clovis Unified form this map?

Since October, the district has gathered community feedback from the Clovis East area families, including a community forum on zone options.

In redrawing the attendance zone, according to CUSD, the district sought to

• Keep neighborhoods together with boundaries that minimize gerrymandering and avoid crossing major streets and other barriers

• Create long-lasting boundaries for 7-10 years

• Consider neighborhood dynamics

• Consider transportation needs

• Consider implications to Title 1 and Special Education Programs

The boundary change only impacts some of the Clovis East area elementary schools of Boris, Reagan, Freedom, Miramonte, Temperance-Kutner, Oraze, Fancher Creek and Young. Each will still feed into Clovis East High School — at least for the next few years.

Once the Terry Bradley Center opens in about two years and creates a new Clovis high school area, the boundary will change again.

What’s next?

The board is expected to vote on the elementary school’s name at its March 1 meeting.

After the school naming, the principal will lead the effort to pick the school mascot and colors.

The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Learn about The Bee’s Education Lab at its website.