Elementary Attendance Zone Review
The York County School Board has scheduled a public hearing on proposed elementary attendances zones for 7 p.m., December 18, at York Hall, 301 Main Street, Yorktown.
The York County School Division is considering adjusting elementary attendance zones to address the increase in elementary student enrollment in recent years. This process began last school year, with a consultant analyzing county data and preparing potential options for adjusting elementary attendance zones. In October, a committee of parent and staff representatives from all ten elementary schools began developing elementary attendance zone recommendations for approval by the School Board.
At the December School Board work session, an overview of the Report and Recommendations of the Elementary Attendance Zone Balancing Committee was presented. The committee's final recommendations would make adjustments to four elementary school attendance zones - Coventry, Grafton Bethel, Seaford, and Yorktown.
While the committee recommends that no adjustments be made to the other six elementary attendance zones at this time, it recommends that consultant's options be reviewed again as more information becomes available regarding new residential development in the county, especially in the Magruder, Waller Mill, Yorktown elementary attendance zones.
The committee recommends making the following adjustments for the Coventry, Grafton Bethel, Seaford and Yorktown elementary attendance zones, beginning with the 2018-19 school year:
- Byrd Lane, Cain Terrace, York Manor, and Commonwealth Green neighborhoods would be rezoned from Grafton Bethel to Coventry Elementary School. Impact: approximately 50 students
- Yorktown Arch, The Quarters of Yorktown, and Wood Towne Quarters neighborhoods would be rezoned from Yorktown Elementary to Seaford Elementary School. Impact: approximately 60 students
The committee further recommends that rising fifth grade students and their siblings who reside in the affected neighborhoods be allowed to attend their current school for the 2018-19 school year only. Parents would need to provide transportation if they participate in this option.
Elementary Attendance Zone Adjustments Timeline
| December 18, 2017 | Public Hearing |
| January 8, 2018 | School Board Work Session Discussion |
| January 22, 2018 | School Board Action |
What factors were considered before the recommendations were made to the School Board?
The following factors were considered prior to making the recommendations.
- Instructional capacity at each elementary school
- Enrollment trends and the impact of new residential development
- Impact of multiple attendance zone changes for families
- Maximum elementary school size of 700 students
- Maintaining secondary feeder patterns
- Maintaining reasonable bus routes and travel time
- Avoid the separation of neighborhoods between attendance zones
- Maintain the socioeconomic profile of each school
- Avoid movement of military students, if possible
- Attendance boundaries along geographic features such as roadways and waterways
- Number of students who would be affected by the zone adjustment recommendations
- Enrollment at Grafton Bethel Elementary School and at Yorktown Elementary School
- Availability of space at Coventry Elementary School and at Seaford Elementary School
Will there be waivers for students affected by the zoning changes that will enable them to continue attending their current school?
Rising fifth grade students and their siblings will be able to remain in their current school for the 2018-2019 school year. However, transportation will be the responsibility of parents.
Does this affect middle and high school students?
Middle and high school students will not be affected by this change.
If these recommendations are adopted, will there be room for growth in the affected elementary schools?
Yes.
Will a zoning adjustment be necessary every year?
It is not anticipated that an attendance zone adjustment will be necessary every year.
What is being done to avoid having to make zoning changes every year?
A comprehensive approach has been undertaken to reduce the need to make zoning adjustments. A major part of this approach is to add additional classroom space at schools whenever possible before an attendance zone adjustment is considered.
Phase 1 - Request for Proposals & Awarding of Contract
August - November 2016
Phase 2 - Data Review/Plan Development
| November 2016 | Data files submitted to consultant by county and division staff |
| December 2016-January 2017 | Data Review & Plan Development by consultant and staff |
| February 2017 | Plan A presented to School Board members during individual sessions |
| February 2017 | Final review of revised plans by consultant and staff |
| March 2017 | Presentation of Plans A, B, C and D to School Board |
| April 2017 | Discussion of next steps by School Board and staff |
Phase 3 - Stakeholder Engagement
| August 2017 | Select and confirm members of the Attendance Balancing Committee |
| September 2017-October 2017 | Committee Meetings |
Phase 4 - School Board Discussion and Approval
| December 4, 2017 | Presentation and discussion of committee recommendations to School Board |
| December 18, 2017 | Public Hearing on attendance zone adjustments |
| January 8, 2018 | Discussion of committee recommendations by School Board |
| January 22, 2018 | Approval of new elementary attendance zones |
- Report and Recommendations for Balancing Elementary Attendance Zones - December 4, 2017
- Attendance Zone Committee Meeting Minutes - November 9, 2017
- Attendance Zone Committee Meeting Minutes - October 26, 2017
- Attendance Zone Committee Meeting Minutes - October 19, 2017
- Attendance Zone Committee Meeting Minutes - October 12, 2017
- Attendance Zone Committee Meeting Minutes - October 5, 2017
- YCSD Attendance Area Analysis - April 2017
- Executive Summary of Draft Attendance Zone Analysis - April 2017
302 Dare Road • Yorktown, Virginia 23692 • Phone: 757-898-0300 • FAX: 855-878-9063
Division Superintendent: Victor D. Shandor, Ed.D.
© 2023 York County School Division. All rights reserved.
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