Facility Master Plan

Schools will be completely rebuilt on or near their current location, creating facilities properly sized for current and future enrollment with modern and flexible learning spaces, and updated furniture and equipment.

• Elementary schools – Adams, Black, Caldwell, Irving, McLean
• Middle schools – Truesdell, Coleman

There are facility data considerations when developing Phase 1 of the Facility Master Plan:

• Schools where students live: Analysis of historic enrollment trends, building utilization data and population projections assure schools are located near families.
• Building condition and age: Building age, facility condition, classroom size and maintenance needs are all considered to determine future needs and improvement costs.
• Site size: The physical size of each location’s school grounds was evaluated when considering potential for building expansion, addition of parent pick-up/drop-off lanes, and outdoor learning spaces.
• Financial sustainability: Enrollment drives funding, and current and projected student population trends allow the district to plan for well-staffed, well-resourced schools.

Our Schools Today

WPS is proud of our rich history of educating students for more than 150 years. We have beautiful buildings that are more than 100 years old, newer facilities that were built as part of our 2000 and 2008 bond issues, and others built in-between. The average age of our school buildings is 60 years old. Ongoing maintenance issues become more of a challenge as buildings age and resources are limited.

Below are some of the data we consider and challenges we face with ensuring our school buildings are suitable for our educational priorities. 

Facilities will be designed to support innovative learning opportunities.

• Early Childhood Center - located at the current site of Chester Lewis Academic Learning Center
• Future Ready Center for Trades - located at East High School
• Northeast Magnet outdoor athletic fields

Existing learning spaces will be enhanced to support new or expanded learning opportunities, maintain and preserve historic facilities, and assure high-quality learning spaces across the community.

• Cessna Elementary - expand and convert to a K-8 school
• Isely Elementary - convert to a K-8 school
• Coleman Middle School - current building will be renovated and repurposed into an alternative learning center
• Wells Alternative Middle School - current building will be expanded and repurposed into a 6-12 center and will include Sowers Alternative High School
• High school maintenance

Current school facilities will be closed, and the programs will be located to new or repurposed facilities.

• Chester Lewis Academic Learning Center - Wichita Alternative High School and other programs will be relocated
• Dunbar Support Center - Multilingual Education Services and other programs will be relocated
• Focht Instructional Support Center - Education Imagine Academy and other programs will be relocated
• Gateway Alternative Program - program will be relocated
• Little Early Childhood Center - program relocated to the new Early Childhood Center
• Sowers Alternative High School - school relocated to expanded Wells Alternative Middle School

Read the anticipated Student Transition Plan.

Current elementary school facilities will be closed and students will be relocated to other nearby schools. Timing of the schools' closures will be finalized by fall 2026 and are expected to begin in 2027.  

• L'Ouverture, OK, Pleasant Valley Elementary and Woodland