Boundary review: superintendent proposes phased amendments, delays some moves for further community review
Summary
Superintendent Reed signaled amendments to the divisionwide boundary plan after public hearing feedback: several neighborhood moves will be implemented this fall, while five areas (including Rolling Valley, Beech Tree/Glasgow and parts near Lorton Station) will be re‑examined and brought back in Jan. 2027 for additional community engagement.
Superintendent Dr. (Olu) Reed used the Jan. 13 work session to summarize preliminary post‑hearing changes to the divisionwide boundary review and to set a phased timetable for amendments and follow‑up engagement.
Reed said staff will move forward with several recommendations already green‑lit (including an elementary→middle reassignment in the Walney Oaks SPA) but will pause or phase multiple other proposals to allow deeper neighborhood engagement. The neighborhoods singled out for further study and a one‑year revisit in January 2027 include Rolling Valley (split‑feeder questions), the Lorton Station/Gunston/Laurel Hill cluster, Beechtree/Glasgow (where staff will examine whether the Poe AAP center and other steps can reduce Glasgow enrollment), and the Graham Greenway/Jefferson Village/Kingsley Commons area.
"We haven't done this in 40 years," Reed told the board, framing the effort as an iterative, multi‑year process that will require targeted follow‑up in areas where community feedback pointed to unresolved concerns.
Board members raised several recurring process issues: a number asked why the public "explorer" tool lagged behind posted scenario changes (staff said updates were delayed for technical and quality checks), and multiple members asked for immediate clarity on transportation and athletic eligibility for families considering opt‑in choices tied to the new Western High School opening. Reed and staff said detailed operational guidance (transportation, opt‑in timelines, athletic eligibility during phasing) will be posted before the board's final vote and that some opt‑in details are time sensitive for families doing course selection.
On Western High School specifically, staff reported robust community interest (more than 2,000 attendees across family sessions) and said registration and opt‑in logistics are being refined; Reed said plans will be posted soon and staff will convene direct engagement sessions with neighborhood leaders about program options at Lewis and other nearby high schools.
Reed described the board's likely near‑term approach as a mix of: (a) implementing certain fall changes where the data and engagement support an immediate move; (b) deferring five neighborhoods for a January 2027 review after focused outreach; and (c) maintaining a longer two‑year outlook for a few items that depend on Western High School enrollment and other operational variables.
Next steps: staff will post clarified details on transportation and athletics, publish amended recommendations (timeline to be posted later that week), and plan in‑depth neighborhood engagement for the flagged areas before January 2027.
