The question is not only what happens this year.
Westlawn and Theron Jones are in a partnership model in lieu of a state takeover, and more campuses could face warning signs in the future. These partnerships often last about three years. That is why the public should ask what long-term problem is being fixed, what happens after the partnership, and whether the district is building capacity that lasts.
If we do not solve challenges early, those pressures can move through the feeder pipeline. That is why I keep coming back to the bigger question: what will our high school look like in eight years, and what will our city feel like in twelve?