- In consideration of D.C. school boundaries
In consideration of D.C. school boundaries
The Northwest Current
By Mary Cheh
December 5, 2012
There have been numerous important discussions over the past few weeks concerning school boundaries and a bill I introduced some months ago that recently had two hearings. I am pleased that so many members of our community are considering this issue. It has vast implications for the future of our city. Some of the points raised, however, have been quite in error, and I write now to provide the correct information.
In the last three years, enrollment in Ward 3 public schools has increased by 23 percent. Now, all 10 D.C. public schools in Ward 3 are over capacity — even the ones that we just modernized and expanded. Although this is a great endorsement of our school reform move- ment, this enrollment surge is already starting to nega- tively affect the quality of instruction in these schools. One way to address this enrollment surge is to re-exam- ine school boundaries and feeder patterns — something that has not happened since the 1970s.
Earlier this year, I introduced the School Boundary Review Act, which would create an independent, non- political process to re-examine school boundaries every 10 years, just like the District has with ward and advi- sory neighborhood commission boundaries. Under this legislation, the mayor would appoint a commission every decade to review school boundaries and feeder patterns, taking into account school capacities, population changes, projected development and other relevant factors. The commission would operate in the open, hold public hearings and be required to invite feedback from the public. It would then present recommended changes to the mayor, who would finalize and publish them at least 15 months before they would take effect.
Provisions in the bill would ensure that students cur- rently enrolled in a school would be able to remain in that school and its current feeder pattern — even if they no longer live in the school’s boundary after any redrawing. Siblings of students already enrolled in a school would be similarly grandfathered.
The bill itself would only create a process to exam- ine school boundaries and feeder patterns. It does not propose any substantive changes. Let me repeat that part: My bill does not propose any substantive changes to boundaries or feeders for any school, including Lafayette Elementary School and Deal Middle School.
The main purpose of this bill is to focus our atten- tion on the issues of boundaries and overcrowding. In the end, this bill might not be answer, but we still need to confront the problem in some way. Indeed, the bill may have already succeeded in that the chancellor has now agreed to examine school boundaries this spring.