The Bethlehem Area School District is confronting a community deeply anxious about potential school consolidations and boundary changes, according to survey results presented last week to the district’s design committee.
The survey, which drew 1,002 responses, revealed that residents prioritize maintaining neighborhood schools and manageable class sizes above nearly all other concerns—even as district leaders emphasize the need to adjust facilities in response to changing enrollment patterns.
The committee met on Aug. 4 and a recording of the meeting is available on the Bethlehem Area School District’s Youtube channel.
“There was really a strong desire to preserve neighborhood schools in proximity,” Renato Lajara, the district’s newly appointed superintendent, said of the responses. “Also, there was widespread anxiety over class sizes and student-teacher ratios.”
When asked how potential changes such as school consolidation or redrawn attendance zones might affect the community, a combined 44.6% of respondents said the impact would be “somewhat negatively” or “very negatively.”
However, 84.6% also acknowledged it was “important” or “very important” for the district to adjust how buildings and resources are used as student enrollment changes over time.
The tension between these two positions illustrates the challenge facing district leaders: balancing fiscal responsibility and operational efficiency with community values centered on proximity and educational quality.
Assistant Superintendent Maureen Leeson, the district’s chief academic officer, noted a striking pattern in the data.
Respondents who understood the district design process tended to be more optimistic about potential changes, while those unfamiliar with the process expressed greater anxiety and uncertainty.
“There was a connection we made,” Leeson said. “The individuals that were informed had a connection to optimism about the process. And the individuals who didn’t really know what it was all about—that’s where many of the comments kind of produced some, ‘I’m not sure what’s happening. I’m nervous, I’m anxious.’”
The survey results also revealed significant gaps in community representation. While 78.4% of respondents identified as white, this does not reflect the district’s overall demographic diversity. South Side residents contributed less than 2% of responses—a disparity that committee members flagged as problematic.
Anna Smith of Community Action Development suggested that South Side families engage more readily at family-oriented events where conversations can happen one-on-one, rather than through online surveys or formal community meetings.
To address these concerns and improve transparency, district officials unveiled a live, public-facing timeline that tracks every meeting, deadline, and community engagement opportunity related to the district design process. The timeline will be continuously updated and posted on the district’s website.
The district has also hired an external consulting firm, Steps to Achieve, to conduct a year-long feasibility study examining birth rates, housing markets and enrollment trends. The school board in June signed off on a contract of up to $108,000 for the study.
Jim Coughenour, representing the firm, said community engagement sessions will be scheduled for October at various times and locations.
“My hope is to come out several times and have at least three meetings during the day—in the morning, around lunch time and then in the evening,” Coughenour said. “We’ve also discussed having it at various locations, not only just in our schools, but also in community locations.”
The district design process, “Planning for the Future of BASD,” aims to ensure facilities and resources match enrollment realities. The district has emphasized that no decisions have been made.
The feasibility study is expected to come back with enrollment data, 10-year growth projections and an analysis of all the district’s 22 schools, including Liberty and Freedom high schools. It will also propose five potential redistricting scenarios for the school board to consider.
Survey respondents made clear that any recommendations must protect academic quality, maintain reasonable class sizes, and preserve the neighborhood-centric character that many families value.
Lajara acknowledged the district’s responsibility to reach underrepresented communities.
“We’re really cognizant of that after we looked at the survey results,” he said. “We really need to do a better job at communicating this to everyone.”