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District presents rezoning options as enrollment projected to rise across grade bands
Summary
District staff presented multi‑year enrollment projections showing growth across elementary, middle and high school grade bands, outlined rezoning steps already taken and proposed next steps for middle‑school rezoning. The board set public review and meeting dates and discussed the Lee Road property and Poplar Hill site as relief options.
District staff and leadership presented detailed enrollment projections and rezoning options, warning that middle and high school grade bands will continue to grow and outlining a timetable for public review and board action.
Doctor Sullivan (district leader) and staff described current trends: the district is down roughly 149 students year‑over‑year at the moment but expects most grade levels to grow over the next five years as cohorts advance. The district reported an overall projected increase of about 5,489 students across all bands over five years: roughly 964 elementary, 1,944 middle and 2,561 high school students.
Staff reviewed recent rezoning actions: elementary rezoning after opening Poplar Hill Elementary, and last year’s high school adjustments. Middle school rezoning is next; staff noted Blackman Middle, Rockville Middle and other schools will remain above capacity in certain scenarios and that Poplar Hill’s middle school opening will not alone resolve projected middle‑school crowding. "We need another middle school at the Lee Road property eventually," staff said, and recommended additional rezoning to move closer neighborhoods into La Verne Middle where capacity permits.
Staff described a multistep public process and schedule: staff will meet with demographers (RSP) to firm projections, hold community review in November (board meeting scheduled Nov. 18), a work session on Dec. 9, and a vote on Dec. 11, with RSP returning for a joint presentation Dec. 16. Parents will have roughly three weeks to review rezoning maps before board consideration.
Board members asked clarifying questions about which neighborhoods would shift zones, the timeline for new school design fees for the Lee Road property and long‑range needs for a new high school and additional middle schools. Staff estimated a new high school building could cost on the order of $120–$180 million depending on timing, and a middle school roughly $60–$80 million, noting site and FF&E costs add to those figures.
Board members asked staff to emphasize clear communication with families about rezoning options and to post maps and QR codes so residents can review proposals. Several board members urged the district to monitor new subdivisions and developer activity as part of long‑range land planning.
