Advisory committee is considering plans to adjust school boundaries
The Fairfax County Superintendent’s Boundary Review Advisory Committee earlier this month reviewed a potential scenario to address attendance islands and schools located outside of their attendance zones.
The committee has not yet reported on a proposal to eliminate split feeders.
The school board hired Thru Consulting to oversee a district-wide boundary study and develop potential scenarios, which will be refined by the advisory committee and FCPS staff. The scenarios are expected to take into account the school board’s priorities, community feedback, and data analysis.
One of the school board’s priorities is the elimination of attendance islands, a geographic area that is assigned to a school although the area is not contiguous to the attendance area. These isolated zones often result from historical boundary decisions, demographic shifts, or efforts to balance school capacity.
Attendance islands can create problems, such as longer bus rides, increased transportation costs, and difficulties fostering a sense of community within a school.
The following elements of the scenario reviewed by the committee pertain to schools in the Annandale/Mason District area.
To eliminate an attendance island at Pine Spring Elementary School, the scenario reviewed by the committee calls for moving 54 students from Pine Spring to Westlawn Elementary School.
That would involve extending the Westlawn boundary to an area on the other side of Arlington Boulevard. If implemented, the program capacity at Westlawn would increase from 98 percent to 105 percent.
Related story: Parents weigh priorities for FCPS boundary study
To eliminate an attendance island for Fairfax High School, the boundaries for Fairfax and Woodson High School could be adjusted, resulting in 87 Woodson students moving to Fairfax.
The scenario proposes eliminating a Ravensworth Elementary School attendance island by transferring 71 students from Kings Park Elementary School and 28 from Kings Glen Elementary School to Ravensworth.
The committee is also looking at situations in which a school lies outside the area where its students reside. One example is Graham Road Elementary School. To address that issue, the scenario calls for shifting the boundaries of several elementary and middle schools, including moving 89 students from Luther Jackson Middle School to Longfellow Middle School.
Bailey’s Upper Elementary School also lies outside part of its attendance area. To eliminate that situation, the scenario proposes adjusting a number of elementary school boundaries, including the following:
- Moving Sleepy Hollow students to Bailey’s Elementary School and Bailey’s Upper.
- Moving students from Mason Crest and Bailey’s to Sleepy Hollow.
- Moving students at Glen Forest to Parklawn. Since Parklawn is already overcrowded, the scenario calls for moving Parklawn students to Columbia.
- Moving students from Braddock to Annandale Terrace.
- Moving students from Bren Mar Park to North Springfield.
- Moving students from Columbia to Annandale Terrace and Weyanoke.
According to FCPS, “the Superintendent’s Boundary Review Advisory Committee plays a vital role in guiding and supporting the comprehensive boundary review process.” The committee provides “valuable insights, feedback, and recommendations to ensure that the process is collaborative and considers a wide range of perspectives.”
Final decisions on boundary changes will be made by the school board.
