A revised redistricting plan from Harford County Public Schools puts enrollment at all county elementary schools under 101% of capacity, and incorporates a number of alternative redistricting proposals submitted by parents in the affected areas.
Issued on January 14 by the Superintendent’s Technical Advisory Committee (STAC), the revised plan is subject to additional modifications and school board approval, which is expected in late February.
Changes from November Draft
STAC’s original redistricting plan issued in November left a total of five elementary schools over 100% of capacity. Enrollment at four of those schools, Bakerfield, Darlington, Norrisville and North Bend, is substantially reduced under the January 14 revisions. The new Red Pump Elementary in Bel Air will also get a bit of breathing room under the revised plan, with enrollment set at 96.7% of capacity versus 100.4% in the November draft.
In all, the January 14 revisions leave just two of the county’s 33 elementary schools over capacity – Edgewood’s Deerfield Elementary (100.7%) and Joppatowne (100.5%). Enrollment at George D. Lisby Elementary in Aberdeen is set at exactly 100%. The lowest utilization rate under the revised plan is 68.4%, at Roye-Williams Elementary in Havre de Grace.
A summary of the January 14 revisions appears below. Included in the summary is a map of the new school attendance boundaries and a revised enrollment and capacity chart. The updated chart uses September 30, 2010 enrollment data and incorporates the impact of special programs housed at some schools. Individual school maps are being adjusted and will be posted as soon as they are available.
The Public Offers Alternatives
To date, nineteen of the alternative proposals received from the public have been identified by STAC as viable for further analysis and recommendation. Seven of the nineteen have garnered responses; six were incorporated into the latest plan in some form and one, using zip codes to determine school attendance areas, was rejected outright. STAC Chairman Joe Licata told The Dagger, that the remainder of the nineteen proposals would be addressed, along with any other viable proposals received. He said that some of the public input received by HCPS has not yet been processed by STAC.
Alternatives Approved by STAC
Among the alternatives proposed by the public and incorporated into the January 14 plan, the Stone Ridge neighborhood will remain at Fountain Green ES instead of being moved to Homestead Wakefield. Stone Ridge parents had argued that the student yield from their neighborhood was low enough to allow them to remain at Fountain Green without overcrowding that school. Fountain Green ES will be at 95.3% of capacity under the revised plan.
The Glenwood development, located across the street from Ring Factory ES, will remain at that school under STAC’s latest plan, rather than move to Homestead Wakefield as originally proposed. Ring Factory will be at 98.9% of capacity under the revised plan.
Yielding only a handful of preschoolers, the Vine Hill development on Patterson Mill Road will be zoned for Ring Factory rather than Homestead Wakefield.
A parent request to keep 33 students at Forest Hill ES, rather than move them to North Bend, got partial approval from STAC. Under the new plan, students living on the west side of Rt. 24 to Bailey Road and north, will stay at Forest Hill. Students in the northwest area from Trestle Road to the current boundary remain slated to move to North Bend Elementary. Forest Hill will be at 89.4% of capacity and North Bend will be at 90.7% under the new plan.
Parents in the Madonna Manor/Salem Church and Cooptown/Sharon Acres communities sought to “stop the swap” between Jarrettsville and Forest Hill elementary schools, pointing out that the move involved 72 students but produced a net change of only six students between the two schools. STAC incorporated the “stop the swap” proposal into the January 14 revisions, which put Jarrettsville at 99.5% of capacity.
Notable for its absence, STAC has yet to issue a response to proposals regarding Youth’s Benefit Elementary in Fallston, and has thus far recommended no change to their original plan to move students in the northern portion of the district to Jarrettsville Elementary. Youth’s Benefit parents have been actively campaigning to stop redistricting in Fallston, with some suggesting that Youth’s Benefit, which is currently at 107% of capacity, remain overcrowded.
Below is a summary of nineteen alternative proposals currently under review by STAC, along with analysis and recommendations to-date:
Nobody should get too excited about these revisions. What everyone needs to remember is that these adjustments to the original draft are just STAC recommendations and not a done deal. Regardless of what STAC may suggest the BOE will make the final decision on what the attendance boundaries will be.
“Comprehensive Redistricting” should balance the enrollment for more than this year. While this version seems to be responsive to the suggestions that the STAC received, it leaves the northern schools well under capacity. Growth in those areas will be much slower those schools will remain under utilized indefinitely. I appreciate the concerns of those who live so close to Route 23. Wouldn’t a traffic light be more cost effective than a new school? No matter what the BOE approves, somebody won’t be happy. I hope that we look closely at what will give the best use of funds and resources and show strong leadership.
Joppatowne over 100 percent? Are you serious? As usual, we get dumped on. I hope our elected members speak up for us. I’ve lived here a all my life and have seen decades of us getting treated in ways that the rest of the county would not put up with. Dion does a good job of taking up for us but it seems like he’s outnumbered AGAIN. If you move into the middle of a corn field you should expect your kids to be on a bus for a little while.
Rumsey: I have family going to Deerfield were now over 100 too. There are all new townhomes being built all over here and other schools are in the 70s. I haven’t been here all my life but I have been here enough to know that some people on the other side of 40 think this is the ghetto. If our neighborhoods never get a break how do we ever get better.
If the students in the North are shifted clockwise on the map until each school reaches 100 percent that would free up space in Jerretsville and allow a domino effect moving students in highly populated areas west starting with the Western 1/2 of Forest Lakes going to Jerretsville. This would address concerns about Route 23 and still give the schools system a more realistic forward looking map. Start with Darlington populated to 100 percent then follow with Dublin, North Harford, North Bend, Norrisville, and then Jerretsville and Forest Lakes. In that order.
If we’re serious about the development envelope and realistic about growth it seems like this is an appropriate move.
Rumsey:
Dion has nothing to do with this decision. Your elected official in this case is Mr. Frisch. Maybe mistakes like that are why your area continues to be “dumped” upon.
For the record I have met with Mr. Licata to discuss and offer suggestions regarding redistricting as it affects schools in the southwest portion of the county. I have also been in contact with many constituents who have expressed views about the draft plan. Any plan to adjust school boundaries within my elected district will receive a thorough review by me to ensure that the best interests of my constituents and the county as a whole are met. It would appear that Rumsey is not a fan but I feel comfortable in the knowledge that 67% of voters in the last election thought otherwise.
I don’t understand the move for the Riverside community. Could someone explain why that is necessary. That is confusing to me.
Perhaps it has something to do with all the town houses being built in the attendance area for the school and now they are being occupied.
I was at the meeting at Fallston last night and there was at least 80 people in attendance. There was no review of anything – they just handed out maps. Many people who spoke were upset that the Board was in 2 different places that night – at both Fallston and Bel Air thereby they would be unable to hear the “public speakers.” Many speakers asked the STAC to slow down the process and look comprehensively at all of the building and plans that are in the works for that area. They asked that the school system fill Red Pump and then look around at the other schools. Also they questioned the numbers that the school system initially presented and asked to keep YBES at 105%. There was also a speaker who wanted to know if the portables were calculated into capacity since the portables are “nicer than some of the classrooms.” Joe Licata actually responded and said no and that their goal was to eliminate them. He also was asked when YBES was going to be renovated and responded 2015 because funds were not available. Another concern that was repeatedly expressed was proximity to schools and the programs that are available at some schools and not others (Preschool, YMCA, etc.)
The meeting was over in an hour but many people afterwards were saying this is all being done so more development can come in to the area. One parent even said she will pursue legal action if this plan is implemented.