update on redistricting -...

www.acps.k12.va.us Every Student Succeeds

Update on Redistricting

School Board Work Session

November 21, 2016

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=alexandria+city+public+schools+George+Washington+Middle+school+students&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRw&url=https://www.facebook.com/acpsk12?rf=106124882752561&ei=0qfGVI2HMfTGsQS2t4GACA&bvm=bv.84349003,d.cWc&psig=AFQjCNHYd1i0OstW5FUZol7agso0oz-llA&ust=1422391609717341

www.acps.k12.va.us Every Student Succeeds www.acps.k12.va.us 2

Essential Questions

• Why is ACPS redistricting?

• Where is ACPS in the redistricting process and what is the timeline?

• What language has been drafted for Policy JCE?

• What redistricting options are currently being considered?

• How has the community been engaged in this process and what outreach has been done?


Why Are We Redistricting? • ACPS has not had a divisionwide redistricting effort since 1999.

• Enrollment in ACPS has grown an average of 500 students a year since 2011 and is expected to continue growing through 2030.

• Redistricting our elementary schools will allow ACPS to provide academic excellence, programmatic equity, and the best education for our community now and in the future to make sure every student is provided essential resources to succeed.

• ACPS has a number of planned construction projects, including a new West End elementary school. Redistricting is necessary to balance utilization across the school division.


Redistricting Criteria Overarching Goal: Enable students to attend their neighborhood elementary school with equitable access to instructional programs and services, in a cost-effective manner, unless there is a demonstrated need or desire to attend a designated citywide program. • Instructional Capacity: Number of students assigned to a school takes into account the number of

classrooms and resource rooms needed for art, music, labs, English language learners (ELL), Special Education, and Talented and Gifted programs.

• Student Safety: Promote safe walk zones and routes to school.

• Transportation: Minimize the need for bus transportation or travel time.

• Enrollment Capacity: Student enrollment provides room for future growth.

• Class Size: Adhere to and accommodate ACPS policy on class size requirements at different grade levels.

• Distribution of Special Programs: Consider balance and access to divisionwide programs (e.g., Special Education, Pre-K).

• Previous Rezoning: Minimize the need for more than one boundary change in the elementary life of a student.

• Program Continuity: Minimize school assignment change for students who have spent the majority of their elementary experience in a given school.

• Sensible and Fair Boundary Lines: Consider the proximity to the school, and to the extent possible, look for natural points to define boundaries.

• Diversity: Consider rich diversity of school division.


Redistricting Decision Making

*School Board and ACPS staff will provide direction as needed throughout the redistricting process.


Next Steps and Timeline

We are here.


Capacity Reassignment by School Year (formerly MOE)

2012-2013

2013-2014

2014-2015

2015-2016

2016-2017*

Total

Capacity Reassignment Transfers

174

196

281

294

265

1210

* As of 10/28/16


Current Capacity Reassignments School (capacity transfer to)

CB CK DM GM JA JH JKP LC MM MV PH ST WR

Total Capacity

Transfers Out

of School

Bo

un

da

ry S

cho

ol

CB 2 6 4 1 1 5 1 20

CK 1 2 1 3 7

DM 4 2 8 7 5 5 6 2 1 1 41

GM 14 12 1 4 2 33

JA 5 8 4 6 9 15 6 10 15 6 84

JH 2 1 5 1 9

JKP 6 11 6 2 1 18 18 5 67

LC 3 1 4

MM 1 1 7 9

MV 7 23 1 2 3 36

PH 2 12 6 5 15 1 1 1 10 1 54

ST 8 24 22 23 30 14 89 5 23 3 108 18 367

WR 3 20 5 19 35 6 31 3 4 1 24 2 153 Total Capacity

Transfers Into

School 48 96 56 66 78 54 157 19 49 20 162 49 30 884


Policy JCE (draft)

ACPS is committed to enabling students to attend their boundary school with equitable access to instructional programs and services. The redistribution of elementary students to schools based on established boundaries is critical to achieving this goal. To the extent possible, the transition of students from one school to another shall be implemented in a manner that addresses capacity and provides a transition option to families. Upon School Board approval of newly established elementary attendance zones, students will attend their newly zoned boundary school unless they meet the criteria outlined in Regulation JCE-R.

ACPS will engage in a boundary study every five years and/or when new schools, facilities, or programs are added that affect student assignment and capacity.


JCE-Regulations (draft) SY 18-19 Exemption from Redistricting Transportation

Rising 4th and 5th Graders* Yes Yes

Siblings of 4th and 5th

Graders**

Yes Yes

Rising K-3rd Graders No Yes

Administrative Transfers Yes No

Capacity Reassignment No Yes

Programmatic Transfers Yes Yes

Regardless of a qualifying exemption, families can choose to attend their newly zoned school.

*Families wishing for their 4th or 5th grade students to remain at their current school must provide Notice of Intent to Stay by March 15, 2018 or students will attend the newly zoned school.

**Siblings of 4th or 5th grade students have the option of attending their newly zoned school or remaining at the previous zoned school until older sibling moves to middle school. Siblings must be listed on the Notice of Intent to Stay forms for older sibling.


Development of Draft Options • Review Committee (RC) began their review with Options

1-3.

• Feedback gathered from the RC and the community.

• Options 4 & 5 presented to RC. Option 6 was generated and Options 1 & 2 were eliminated.

• Feedback gathered on Options 3, 4, 5, and 6 from the RC, the community and staff. Options 7 & 8 are developed.

• RC reviews 5, 6, 7 and 8 and eliminates 3, 4, 5 and 6. RC requests the development of Option 9.

• Options 7, 8 and 9 are shared at Community Meetings.


Redistricting Draft Option #7 Advantages

• Provides best capacity relief and balance of utilization among all options.

Limitations

• Greater impact on demographics for Charles Barrett than options 8 and 9.

• Concerns about potential impact on programming for East End schools.

• Most students impacted (1661).

• Least amount of walkers (3739).



• Capacity relief provided to schools across the division.

• No significant impact on current school demographics.

• Tied with Option 9 in terms of estimated number of walkers (3766).

Limitations

• 2nd greatest impact on students (1369).

• George Mason still on the high end of utilization (115%).



• Capacity relief provided to schools across the division.

• No significant impact on demographics of schools.

• Fewest number of students impacted among options 7-9 (1297).

• Tied with Option 8 in terms of estimated number of walkers (3766).

Limitations

• George Mason still on the high end of utilization (115%).


Community Outreach- ACPS

• Attended multiple PTA meetings and Principal Chats

• Met with Parent Liaisons to review redistricting process and related information to ensure consistent messaging to school communities

• Made robocalls and emails to ACPS families (Arabic, Amharic, Spanish, and English)

• Met with prospective parents at Kindergarten Fair

• Dedicated a phone line and email address for redistricting questions and concerns


Community Outreach- Citywide • Outreach to community groups and civic associations

(English & Spanish)

• Updates sent out via the redistricting email list

• Letters and fliers sent to private pre-K schools, churches, realtors (Arabic, Amharic, Spanish English)

• Updates sent via ‘Remind 101’ text messages (Arabic, Amharic and Spanish)

• Updates on Facebook and Twitter (English & Spanish)

• Held five community meetings & two Twitter town hall meetings


Upcoming Redistricting Meetings • November 28 & December 19, 2016, & January 9, 2017 at 7:00pm

Redistricting Steering Committee Meetings

• December 7, 2016 & January 4, 2017 at 7:00pm

Redistricting Review Committee Meetings

• December 8, 2016 & January19, 2017 at 7:00pm

Public Hearings on Redistricting

• January 12 & 26, 2017 at 7:00pm

Redistricting options presented to School Board for Information & Action

www.acps.k12.va.us Every Student Succeeds Superintendent School Board

Karen A. Graf, Chair Cindy Anderson Ronnie Campbell William E. Campbell Hal E. Cardwell

Ramee A. Gentry Margaret Lorber Veronica Nolan Christopher J. Lewis, Vice Chair

Dr. Alvin L. Crawley

18

Questions?

Dr. Julie Crawford

Chief Student Services Officer

[email protected]

703-619-8034

mailto:[email protected]

update on redistricting -...

Documents