Anne Arundel community presses school district to avoid "ping-pong" moves during Phase 2 redistricting

An Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) community meeting on Phase 2 redistricting drew dozens of speakers who urged the district to avoid repeated reassignments that they say would disrupt student social ties, increase travel times and shift children between feeder patterns.

Dr. Heiser, a district staff member who led the meeting in Superintendent Dr. Bedell’s absence, told the audience that the superintendent "has made no recommendations to the board yet. None at all," and that all public comments and survey responses will be read and considered as the district develops options.

The meeting focused on preliminary scenarios developed by the consultant WXY Studio. District presenters reiterated the timetable released with Phase 2: staff will work through summer toward superintendent recommendations expected in July, the board will brief the public in September and hold a public hearing in October, with a goal of board adoption in November and implementation in August 2026. The online web tool for community feedback remains open through May.

Why it matters: school boundaries determine where students attend school, affect bus routes and travel time, and are tied to state funding and long‑range facility planning. The district told attendees it is balancing long‑range enrollment trends, state‑rated capacity (SRC) at each building and feeder patterns when drawing scenarios.

Public commenters repeatedly raised three central concerns: student stability and…