Redistricting Update: December 2, 2004

As noted in the Spring 2004 Redistricting Update, the Board of Education has adopted a plan to change some attendance boundaries where necessary to relieve overcrowding. Comprised of staff and community members, the Local Planning Committee (LPC) is reviewing that plan and may recommend refinements to the Board, generally as they did last year. As we begin this Update, we are providing more information about the changes under consideration, clarifying what has already been adopted and what may be further refined over the next few months. These are potential actions to be implemented in future school years beginning in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

As Superintendent Silberman said recently in Stu's News this week: "Please know that this is a very difficult issue that does not have good solutions no matter what options are chosen. Our staff will continue to work with the LPC to minimize changes while at the same time solve the crowding problems."

Process

The LPC held a public hearing at Henry Clay on November 15 and has also been receiving input on the plan through mail and email. At the public hearing, staff provided the recently gathered fall 2004 enrollment summary information and updated enrollment projections for fall 2005 and fall 2006. Staff summarized previously adopted changes expected to occur and then also provided staff ideas to refine the adopted plan. These ideas were developed in November in response to the latest enrollment data and this public meeting was the first time these ideas were available to the LPC or the public.

Proposed Attendance Boundary Changes

Four maps show the changes proposed for elementary schools in 2005, for elementary schools in 2006, for middle schools in 2005 and 2006, and for high schools in 2006 and/or later.

The 2005 elementary school map identifies changes already adopted by the board ready to go into effect in 2005 and which staff continues to recommend. Particularly for Veterans Park Elementary School and Athens Elementary School the map shows additional changes now suggested for 2005. Due to further consideration of crowding and November 15 public suggestions, staff recently added two more changes to the 2005 elementary school staff options, shown on this map. In both of these additional cases, newly developing areas are now proposed to change before students move in.

The 2006 elementary school map shows changes already adopted to go into effect in 2006. It also shows several areas that staff recommends be postponed from 2005 implementation to 2006 implementation. It shows one area (Trent / Dale) newly proposed to move from Southern to Millcreek. Neither the 2005 nor the 2006 elementary school maps now show the Trent / Niagra area changing as staff now suggests that any move of that area be postponed indefinitely.

At the middle school level Edythe J. Hayes' future crowding causes great concern. Current students are to be allowed to stay next year, but those interested in attending a less crowded school will also be invited to volunteer to do so. Staff developed a suggestion that the Kenesaw area go to Tates Creek Middle and the Woodhill / Todds Road areas go to Crawford. The middle school map continues to show Copperfield change in 2006. This change will require further review at a later date. It is not part of the current task force discussions for Edythe J. Hayes.

The High School map continues to show the change of Masterson Station in 2006. It also shows Copperfield postponed from 2006 to 2007 or later and it shows a new area (Kenesaw) that staff suggests may need to move in 2007. There are no high school changes in 2005.

Further Information

For further information contact Bob Joice.

Last update: 10/17/2005 1:41:27 PM     Printer friendly view