Moving a District from a K-6 to a K-8 Building : Action Research About Bringing Back Students to Their Home District

Duquesne City School District has been identified as a seriously financially struggling school district by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Duquesne City had the 9- l 2th graders transition to other local school districts to receive their education with the district paying the tuition bill to the receiving school districts for those students. This decision to make the move was made by PDE and had the 9-12th graders placed in the two local school districts in 2007. However, the school district was unable to recover financially to some extent and subsequently in 2012 placed the 7th and 8th graders in the same school districts that the 9-l 2th graders attended because, at that time, it was less expensive to pay tuition than to operate a middle school. The purpose of this research is to gain an understanding from the parents/guardians, the teachers and staff as well as the community members what it would take to have a strong academic programming, what resources the students needed as well as how the community and school district can work together to support the return of the 7th and 8th graders. The research was based on survey questions and interviews. The results of the research provided support for the return of the 7th and 8th graders as well as specific suggestions on how to make the academic programming stronger, what resources were needed and how the school district and community could collaborate to support the students.