Reply to Alexandria Redistricting Process Starting

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Alexandria: IB to the Rescue? Jefferson-Houston to expand International Baccalaureate program.

"Phillips said the IB classes will have a capacity limit, and in the first few years of Jefferson-Houston’s recovery he said the priority should be on ensuring that the school doesn’t go over its capacity. Phillips said in a few years, he’s expecting there to be a wait list for the program.

Having a waiting list also isn’t one of Jefferson-Houston’s immediate problems. The school has a maximum capacity of 800 students and currently has a student population of 444. By 2024, that number is expected to rise slightly to 572 students."

http://www.alexandriagazette.com/news/2015/mar/19/alexandria-ib-rescue/

Now that this has been announced, it's pertinent to the re-districting discussion.

-How many of the current 444 JH students are pre-K? I understand ~100? Are pre-K students officially part of ACPS?

[b]-Why so low a goal of 572 students enrolled by 2024, given our elementary schools are busting at the seems and schools in disrepair?

If re-districting is being undertaken, why not plan to be at full capacity at brand new, $45 million dollar, Jefferson Houston Elementary by 2024?[/quote][/b]

I'm not sure, but I think that these numbers are the projected numbers right now, as in, WITHOUT boundary changes.
Certainly a top goal of redistricting should be having schools be near, but not above capacity, so once the changes are made these projected numbers will be out of date.[/quote]

I've read the article several times and reflected on the wording. Firstly, the preK-8 IB has to be approved and if/when it is, it would not start to the 2016-2017 school year. But Principal Phillips seems quite clear that IB classes in general have lower capacity than regular non-IB classes. Seemingly to address forthcoming re-districting, Phillips emphasizes priority on not going over capacity.

Jefferson Houston Elementary is a sparkling new elementary for Alexandria City, and can service 800 students. It's all ACPS elementary schools goals to ensure class size is not over capacity, but this luxury is not available to most of the older, jammed full and deteriorating ones.

Perhaps the fear is JH Elementary can't fill up without real resident upset, so starting preK-8 International Bachelorette with lower class size will serve as the fall back explanation for under enrollment or slow enrollment occurring.

Just seems a waste to build a brand new $45 million dollar, much needed public elementary in Alexandria and then lay the ground work ahead of time for perpetual under capacity until 2024![/quote]

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