Review Agenda Item
Meeting Date: 11/5/2021 - 7:00 PM
Category: Student Services and Equity
Type: Info
Subject: Newly-Enrolled Students Return to their Boundary Schools
ACPS 2025 Strategic Plan Goal:
Goal 4: Strategic Resource Allocation
ACPS will strategically provide differentiated resources and supports to schools and departments.
Policy:
Funding Source or Fiscal Impact (where applicable)
File Attachment:
211105_Board_Brief_Newly_Enrolled_Students_Return_to_their_Boundary_Schools.pdf
Agenda Item Summary: Each year a number of students are capacity reassigned to attend a school other than their boundary school due to physical capacity of the school and, at times, staffing challenges. This year the number of newly enrolled (fall 2021) students who have been capacity transferred has had a significant impact on transportation and effective bus routing. Since enrollment numbers were recently updated for state reporting, ACPS staff conducted a detailed review to determine available space where newly enrolled students could return to their boundary school. This movement is in line with the School Board’s philosophy and Policy JC/JCD that ACPS students should attend the closest school with capacity at that grade level. Please note that not all students who have been capacity reassigned will be able to return to the boundary school. The decision on who is being moved was based on the available spaces. It should also be noted that the majority of these students are new to ACPS and therefore have not been attending the current school for an extended period of time.
Background: Each year the School Board is presented with capacity reassignment data as a part of the transfer report presentation. Capacity reassignments often result in students riding the bus for longer periods of time and not being able to be as involved with the community events through the zoned school closest to the family’s residence. In previous years, as capacity becomes available for students, schools reach out to families to request a return to the boundary school. Because of the changes in enrollment this year, ACPS is able to return a larger number of students to their boundary school which has the secondary benefit of reducing the number of bus routes to non-zoned schools.
Recommendation: The Superintendent recommends that the School Board review this information on the process of returning capacity reassigned students to their boundary school.
Approvals:
Recommended By:
Signed By:
Dr. Julie Crawford - Chief of Student Services, Alternative Programs and Equity
Signed By:
Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr. - Superintendent