AACPS superintendent offers two Phase 2 redistricting options; split articulations, magnet and transportation changes proposed

At a Sept. 5 workshop, Anne Arundel County Public Schools staff presented the superintendent's recommendations for Phase 2 redistricting covering the Annapolis, Arundel, Broadneck, Crofton, Severna Park, South River and Southern clusters and portions of the Mead cluster. The two recommended maps, labeled R1 and R2, aim to balance building utilization and reduce overcrowding while minimizing student travel and disruptions.

The superintendent, Dr. Mark Bedell, released the recommendations on July 23; staff and the WXY consulting team refined scenarios after public feedback. Bill Heizer, AACPS chief operating officer, and Kyle Roof, executive director of facilities, led the presentation and answered board members' questions.

Why it matters: the study area enrolled 43,339 students in 2024'25, about half of the district's 85,029 students, and includes 53 of the district's 126 schools. District staff reported over 10,400 unique website users and roughly 19,900 unique map comments after releasing the superintendent's recommendations.

What the two recommendations do

- Scope and goals: both recommendations build on the 2023 redistricting effort and the 2025 Educational Facilities Master Plan, seeking to balance utilization, limit travel where possible and reduce disruptions.

- Relative impacts: staff said R1 increases average distance traveled by roughly 1% and would rezoned about 2% of the Phase 2 student population; R2 is described as less impactful overall (fewer rezoned students and shorter travel).

- Feeder and articulation changes: R1 introduces two feeder pattern changes, including one split articulation. R2 introduces only one feeder pattern change, also a split articulation. The primary split articulation would move a portion of students living in the Nantucket Elementary attendance zone (north of the school and accessing Rydell Road) from Crofton Middle to Arundel Middle after fifth grade to relieve Crofton Middle overcrowding.

Numbers cited in the presentation (district staff packet): - Study-area enrollment (2024): 43,339 students. - District enrollment (2024): 85,029 students. - Seats reportedly available districtwide referenced in the presentation: over 14,000. - Selected student movements called out by staff: - 2 Rivers Elementary: 84 students moved to Piney Orchard (no gains reported there), - Piney Orchard: net gain of 44 students (gains of 119; losses include 75 moved to Manor View), reaching ~91% utilization in the packet, - 7 Oaks Elementary: gains of 63 students from Odenton Elementary, - Waugh Chapel Elementary: 28 students moved to Odenton, no gains listed (drops below 100%), - Crofton Middle: 103 students moved to Arundel Middle; - Arundel Middle: receives 103 from Crofton and would shift 81 from Arundel Middle to MacArthur Middle, - High school moves in R1: Arundel High would gain 184 students from Crofton High and send 112 to Mead; 393 students would move from Annapolis High to South River High (Mills Parole area), - In R2, moving the Apex program from Annapolis High would remove about 243 students from Annapolis High and reduce its utilization under 100%.

Transportation and operational effects

- Bus riders: staff reported R2 would add about 250 estimated bus riders relative to current routes; R1 showed no net change in countywide bus ridership. District transportation estimated the need for about three additional bus units in the Annapolis cluster under R2.

- Legacy students: the superintendent's plan would allow students entering 12th grade in 2026'27 to remain at their current high school (a legacy provision identical to Phase 1). Staff emphasized that legacy students who choose to remain will have to use the district's legacy student transfer portal and that transportation will not be provided for legacy students who remain at their current school.

- Magnet programs: existing magnet assignments would be honored. District staff said magnet students currently enrolled in a program (for example, the Annapolis IB program at Annapolis High) would remain enrolled at that magnet school regardless of boundary changes; magnet transportation will continue to be provided for current magnet students. Under R2, staff said Apex-magnet students whose home school is Annapolis High would remain enrolled in Apex but at a new location to be determined and that R2 otherwise would not affect other magnet programs.

Apex magnet relocation

Board members asked specifically about the proposed Apex relocation in R2. Dr. Bedell said staff has identified a potential location but had final conversations pending and would share more information by the board's next executive session. "We have identified a location," Bedell said, adding that he expected to provide details within about 24 hours of the workshop and that the proposed site would require only neutral capital adjustments "and our ability to provide services and what I would think would potentially be even elevated services for that particular program." (Dr. Mark Bedell, superintendent)

Special capacity (SRC) and Crofton High School

Board members pressed staff about SRC (space-rated capacity) calculations and recent requests to the IAC (the state body staff said determines SRC and utilization). Heizer said staff had submitted a request to the IAC to count additional spaces at Crofton High School; those submissions are now in the IAC's portal, and the approval process can take up to six months. Heizer emphasized that some spaces (for example, project rooms or tech-ed lab areas) are designed for specific instructional uses and may not meet the IAC definition for general-purpose classroom seats.

"We did go room by room," Heizer said. "Whether the school is utilizing it that way or not, it's meant to be used that way. We did not see that as a classroom... The technology education... are specifically designed for technology education. There may be a situation where the master scheduler is utilizing that and putting a government class in that space. It does not make it... a general classroom." (Bill Heizer, AACPS chief operating officer)

Board questions and concerns raised

Board members asked about student social-emotional supports and transitions, especially for students with accommodations. Vice President Dent pressed for assurances that transition supports and articulation processes used in Phase 1 would be replicated and improved. Heizer described articulation events and wraparound services and said the district's student services office will coordinate transitions.

Vice President Dent also asked why the legacy provision covers 12th graders only and not 11th graders. Heizer and Bedell said limiting legacy protection to 12th graders helps the district balance schools sooner and reduces uncertainty for staffing and class planning. The district cited practical constraints, including staffing forecasts and the need to set levels in advance.

Fort Meade access and verification

Board members raised questions about students who attend schools on Fort Meade. Staff said they have a good relationship with base leadership and will coordinate access and communications. Fort Meade access requires documented identification and base approval; staff pointed board members to the MacArthur gates and base-access information available online and said district staff will work case-by-case with families who cannot obtain base access.

Public engagement, timeline and next steps

District staff described the public engagement timeline and next steps: the web comment tool opened in February 2025 and comments were accepted through May 15; the superintendent's recommendations were released July 23. Staff said the online comment period would close after this Sept. 5 workshop; the board will decide on Sept. 17 which recommendations (or amended options) to take to a public briefing on Sept. 29. Public hearings are planned Oct. 13 and Oct. 27; staff said the board aims to take a final vote in November and, if adopted, implement changes in August 2026.

What remains unresolved

- Final Apex relocation site and details (staff said they expected to provide an update soon after the workshop). - Pending IAC SRC approvals for Crofton High School; staff said results could take months and noted that R1/R2 utilizations shown in the packet factor pending approvals into the utilization buckets. - Specifics on transportation for after-school activities for students who would cross the bridge between feeders (staff said the district would evaluate whether bus service could be added but did not commit to providing it).

Staff and board members asked for and were promised additional data: neighborhood-level student counts, cohort-projection details, and slide materials shown at the workshop will be posted on the district's Phase 2 redistricting page.

Ending

District staff emphasized the need to balance facility utilization across the county while minimizing disruption and safeguarding student supports. The board will receive additional materials and data before its Sept. 17 selection of proposals to advance to public briefing and hearings.

"We take the movement of students from school to a new school as a very serious thing, and we want to make sure that we provide the services necessary," Bill Heizer said. (Bill Heizer, AACPS chief operating officer)