Anonymous
11/03/2011 07:46
Subject: Re:Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:
Two of the at-large candidates that come from a "let's do the analysis to reduce transportation costs/time and increase efficiency" background have recommended large county-wide studies. (Lin-Dai Kendall and Lolita Mancheno-Smoak)
Interesting. I saw the comments each submitted to Fairfax CAPS on boundaries, and they would not suggest that either favored a large county-wide study.
Great example of why it helps to read multiple sources for information about candidates. Start with the campaign websites, watch the video coverage of debates, read multiple survey responses, etc.
Anonymous
11/02/2011 21:36
Subject: Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
Anonymous wrote:OP here: The issue came to mind b/c I was looking at the FAR western section of the Oakton district (just north of 66 and east of Ffx Cnty Pkwy) and I saw that it was much, much closer to Chantilly HS. I know Oakton has a great rep, but if it is over crowded, I'd rather my kids go to a non-crowded school, like Chantilly. And it would make a lot more sense than driving SO far east to Oakton. So, I was just wondering if there is an over-capacity threshold that would result in redistricting or if they just add more and more trailers.
Oakton's boundaries have been weird for a long time. It's a function of the fact that there are a bunch of schools in that general area of central Fairfax combined with population growth further west in the county. As a result, the boundaries for Oakton aren't very compact.
Anonymous
11/02/2011 21:29
Subject: Re:Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
Anonymous wrote:
Two of the at-large candidates that come from a "let's do the analysis to reduce transportation costs/time and increase efficiency" background have recommended large county-wide studies. (Lin-Dai Kendall and Lolita Mancheno-Smoak)
Interesting. I saw the comments each submitted to Fairfax CAPS on boundaries, and they would not suggest that either favored a large county-wide study.
Anonymous
11/02/2011 21:10
Subject: Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
OP here: The issue came to mind b/c I was looking at the FAR western section of the Oakton district (just north of 66 and east of Ffx Cnty Pkwy) and I saw that it was much, much closer to Chantilly HS. I know Oakton has a great rep, but if it is over crowded, I'd rather my kids go to a non-crowded school, like Chantilly. And it would make a lot more sense than driving SO far east to Oakton. So, I was just wondering if there is an over-capacity threshold that would result in redistricting or if they just add more and more trailers.
Anonymous
11/02/2011 20:40
Subject: Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
I may be the outlier, but I live in Langley district (but my kids are still in ES) and wish they would do a county-wide re-districting. I can't imagine the bus ride all the way down the Pike -- how long does it take for the kids at the outer reaches to get to school in the morning? Crazy.
Anonymous
11/02/2011 19:58
Subject: Re:Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I agree. However, there are some candidates for School Board that are running on a platform to do major/district-wide boundary studies and changes. So I guess it depends what candidates are elected to the new School Board.
I wasn't aware of this? Who has made this part of their platform?
Two of the at-large candidates that come from a "let's do the analysis to reduce transportation costs/time and increase efficiency" background have recommended large county-wide studies. (Lin-Dai Kendall and Lolita Mancheno-Smoak)
Anonymous
11/02/2011 19:49
Subject: Re:Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
Anonymous wrote:I agree. However, there are some candidates for School Board that are running on a platform to do major/district-wide boundary studies and changes. So I guess it depends what candidates are elected to the new School Board.
I wasn't aware of this? Who has made this part of their platform? I know there are candidates who want to review the funding formula that is used to determine whether some schools with higher percentages of low-income students get additional resources, but wasn't aware of candidates calling for district-wide boundary studies. Usually candidates don't want to touch that with a 10-foot pole.
In this regard, FCPS is a bit like Congress. People often complain about Congress but say they like their own representative. People complain about FCPS but don't want to change schools.
Anonymous
11/02/2011 18:52
Subject: Re:Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
Anonymous wrote:There are no clear guidance or standards.
Annandale HS was projected by at 125% of capacity, before the latest redistricting. None of the other high schools are projected to be overcrowded to that extent five years from now. FCPS projected last year that South County HS (part of a secondary school) would be at 138% of capacity by 2015, but that will change after South County MS opens.
The South Lakes redistricting in 2008 was done at Stu Gibson's behest. The school was under-enrolled, but people knew that the enrollment would go up in a few years even without a redistricting. Many believe the primary purpose of the redistricting was to placate people in Gibson's district in Reston assigned to South Lakes who wanted to reduce the percentage of minority and FARMS students at the school.
Redistrictings almost always result in bruised feelings. I'd bet that the new School Board will bring in a lot of trailers before they'll start reshuffling kids again.
I agree. However, there are some candidates for School Board that are running on a platform to do major/district-wide boundary studies and changes. So I guess it depends what candidates are elected to the new School Board.
Anonymous
11/02/2011 18:41
Subject: Re:Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
There are no clear guidance or standards.
Annandale HS was projected by at 125% of capacity, before the latest redistricting. None of the other high schools are projected to be overcrowded to that extent five years from now. FCPS projected last year that South County HS (part of a secondary school) would be at 138% of capacity by 2015, but that will change after South County MS opens.
The South Lakes redistricting in 2008 was done at Stu Gibson's behest. The school was under-enrolled, but people knew that the enrollment would go up in a few years even without a redistricting. Many believe the primary purpose of the redistricting was to placate people in Gibson's district in Reston assigned to South Lakes who wanted to reduce the percentage of minority and FARMS students at the school.
Redistrictings almost always result in bruised feelings. I'd bet that the new School Board will bring in a lot of trailers before they'll start reshuffling kids again.
Annandale HS was projected by at 125% of capacity, before the latest redistricting. None of the other high schools are projected to be overcrowded to that extent five years from now. FCPS projected last year that South County HS (part of a secondary school) would be at 138% of capacity by 2015, but that will change after South County MS opens.
The South Lakes redistricting in 2008 was done at Stu Gibson's behest. The school was under-enrolled, but people knew that the enrollment would go up in a few years even without a redistricting. Many believe the primary purpose of the redistricting was to placate people in Gibson's district in Reston assigned to South Lakes who wanted to reduce the percentage of minority and FARMS students at the school.
Redistrictings almost always result in bruised feelings. I'd bet that the new School Board will bring in a lot of trailers before they'll start reshuffling kids again.
Anonymous
11/02/2011 11:17
Subject: Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
They just redistricted Oakton and South Lakes a few years ago. They're not touching those for awhile. They knew when they did the redistricting that the school would be over-capacity in a few years. I'm guessing that they'll add trailers.
Anonymous
11/02/2011 11:12
Subject: Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
There was some small redistricting last year (some of wakefield forest moved from Annandale to Woodson high school). It was part of a pretty good sized boundaries project on the part of the school board and took half a dozen years or so.
Anonymous
11/02/2011 11:06
Subject: Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
Ok, it's not Langley.
I'm wondering about schools like Oakton being 300+ over capacity and South Lakes the same (in a few years). So, when do they just add trailers and when do they start considering shuffling kids to other nearby schools (like Chantilly or something). Similarly, West Springfield is expected to be several hundred over capacity while Lake Braddock will be far under capacity.
What's the trigger?
I'm wondering about schools like Oakton being 300+ over capacity and South Lakes the same (in a few years). So, when do they just add trailers and when do they start considering shuffling kids to other nearby schools (like Chantilly or something). Similarly, West Springfield is expected to be several hundred over capacity while Lake Braddock will be far under capacity.
What's the trigger?
Anonymous
11/02/2011 10:42
Subject: Re:Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
Basically, FCPS can't touch Langley HS boundaries. Those folks will say "Do you KNOW who we ARE??"
Anonymous
11/02/2011 09:43
Subject: Re:Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
this is something that you'd be better off asking a school board member or a principal at your local school. people on this board would most likely be giving anecdotal information at best.
Anonymous
11/02/2011 09:41
Subject: Historically, what does it take for FCPS to redistrict at the HS level?
I've noticed in FCPS documents, they project enrollment at various high schools to be 300+ over capacity in coming years. I'm wondering what it takes for FCPS to institute redistricting. When do they just add trailers, when do they keep it over-capacity, and when do they redistrict?