Join us for the Last Two Redistricting Community Meetings

ACPS is hosting two more Redistricting Community Meetings this week to solicit community input from across Alexandria ahead of determining the new boundaries.

Maps of three possible options will be on display in a gallery walk during the community meetings. Attendees will be asked to provide input and feedback on the options with the view of drawing up further options to present to the School Board in early spring 2017.

The maps for all options currently under consideration – Options 7, 8 and 9 – are available to view via the redistricting page of the ACPS website.

View the data for all options.

We would like our community to be actively engaged in the process as this will affect the entire City in one way or another.

Monday, November 14 – 5:30 p.m., G.W. Middle School Cafeteria
Tuesday, November 15 – 7:00 p.m., John Adams Elementary Cafeteria

Child care and interpretation will be provided at both meetings.

Feedback from the community meetings will taken into account by GIS expert Matthew Cropper before a final recommendation or recommendations are made to the School Board in January. The School Board is currently scheduled to vote on the new boundaries on January 26, 2017. The School Board will base its review of the options on the criteria it established at the start of the process.

Redistricting Criteria

Overarching Goal: Enable students to attend their neighborhood school with equitable access to instructional programs and services, 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, ELL, special education and Talented and Gifted.
Student Safety: Promote safe walk zones-routes to school.
Transportation: Minimize 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 districtwide programs (special education; pre-k).
Previous Rezoning: Minimize 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 the school.
Sensible and Fair Boundary Lines: Consider the proximity to the school, and to extent possible, look for natural points to define boundaries.
Diversity: Consider rich diversity of school division.

Additionally, the School Board is open to considering options that allow for school assignment based on enrollment choice versus boundary as a driver-modified open enrollment (to be explored as a possible model with advisement from external third party consultant).

While the process of deciding the new boundaries takes place this fall, implementation of any new boundaries will not happen until fall 2018. The decision to push the implementation of redistricting to 2018 was made with the goal of ensuring it aligns with the opening of the new Patrick Henry School building and the retrofit of office space in order to create a new elementary school in the West End, both of which are scheduled to be ready in fall 2018. The pre-K center — potentially to be co-located within John Adams Elementary School — is also likely to open in 2018.

This means that all student movements for boundary changes, new schools and pre-K would be scheduled to take place at the same time, simplifying and streamlining what would otherwise be a complicated logistical process. In addition, it will allow 18 months for any transitions and communications to take place.

STAY INFORMED/GET INVOLVED

To stay up-to-date with the redistricting process contact your school’s Redistricting Review Committee representative listed at www.acps.k12.va.us/redistricting/review.php

You may also sign up for meeting notifications and updates at www.acps.k12.va.us/redistricting/ or leave a message on the hotline at 703-619-8408. We attempt to respond to all messages within 48 hours. You can also follow updates on Twitter @ACPSk12 #BetterBoundaries.

If you would like to arrange a Redistricting Forum in your community to address your questions and concerns, please contact us.

Thank you for working with us to ensure every student succeeds.