School District of Lancaster leaders are sharing information about the pending closure of Price Elementary School at the end of the 2026-2027 school year and proposed school attendance boundaries for current Price students beginning in 2027-2028.
The information is being presented as part of the district’s Community Conversations meetings, scheduled from Oct. 27 through Nov. 2.
Price families received letters around Oct. 26 outlining their child’s tentative school assignment for the 2027-2028 school year.
Proposed School Assignments
Approximately 295 students who currently reside in the former Price attendance area will be reassigned among four elementary schools in the southern portion of the district.
Carter & MacRae Elementary School
Approximately 97 students are tentatively assigned to Carter & MacRae.
King Elementary School
Approximately 34 students are tentatively assigned to King.
Lafayette Elementary School
Approximately 114 students are tentatively assigned to Lafayette, the largest receiving school in the reassignment plan.
Washington Elementary School
Approximately 50 students are tentatively assigned to Washington.
Please note: Maps are intended to provide a general overview of proposed attendance boundaries. Families should refer to the assignment letter they received from the district for their child’s tentative school assignment.
Transportation and Walking Routes
District leaders are also sharing information about how students will travel to and from their assigned schools.
On average:
- Students assigned to Carter & MacRae are expected to have the shortest walk, about 11 minutes.
- Students assigned to Washington are expected to have the longest walk, about 20 minutes.
For roughly two-thirds of affected students, the change will increase walking time compared to the current route to Price (Buchanan), although most increases are modest. Students assigned to Carter & MacRae are projected to see a slight reduction in walk time.
| Receiving School | Proposed Avg Distance | Avg Distance Change | Proposed Avg Time | Avg Time Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carter & MacRae | 0.47 mi | -0.04 mi | 11.12 min | -1.82 min |
| King | 0.58 mi | +0.09 mi | 15.16 min | +2.20 min |
| Lafayette | 0.58 mi | +0.30 mi | 14.01 min | +7.28 min |
| Washington | 0.78 mi | +0.32 mi | 20.11 min | +7.77 min |
Why Is Price Closing?
As district leaders shared when announcing the recommendation, district enrollment has declined nearly 16% since 2017 and is projected to decline another 12%, or approximately 1,000 students, by 2035. This trend mirrors enrollment declines occurring in many school districts across the country and is especially pronounced in urban communities.
As enrollment has fallen, the district’s elementary schools have become increasingly underutilized. Districtwide, elementary schools currently operate at an average of about 78% of their intended capacity.
Following the reassignment of Price students:
- Carter & MacRae is projected to operate at approximately 70% capacity.
- King is projected to operate at approximately 64% capacity.
- Lafayette is projected to operate at approximately 72% capacity.
- Washington is projected to operate at approximately 70% capacity.
District leaders emphasized that the reassignment plan is designed to maintain appropriate class sizes. Capacity is based on the number of available classrooms and the number of students each classroom can reasonably accommodate. Additional classrooms and teaching positions may be added where necessary to meet student needs.
Learn More
The full presentation is available here (English only):