The Wayne County Board of Education took a historic step towards countywide redistricting this week by unanimously approving an Attendance Zone Rezoning proposal from Cropper GIS Consultants and McKibben Demographic Research. The recommendation was made by the Board’s Student Assignment Committee, which was created in August 2017 to study school capacities and enrollment, facilities utilization, school demographics, policy adjustments, and ultimately redistricting.
“Experts suggest that school districts should undergo redistricting every ten to twelve years,” states Dr. Michael J. Dunsmore, WCPS superintendent. “Outside of occasions that schools were closed or new ones were built, it has been many more years than that since our school district has adjusted attendance lines. Much of the work by our Board and the Student Assignment Committee over the past year and a half has moved our district to a place where meaningful efforts can take place to address countywide redistricting needs.”
Work will begin this spring with the collection, analysis, and assimilation of data. They will also begin logistical planning with the district and develop a background report and baseline options for the Board to consider.
By this summer, the district hopes to hold its first Public Information Session for the community to learn more about project process, criteria, timeline, and rezoning objectives. Over the course of the summer a number of planning team meetings will take place. The district is hopeful that by the start of the 2019-2020 school year, it can hold its second Public Information Session to present options to the community and to receive public comment/feedback. This fall, the district hopes that final planning meetings will occur and final recommendations from Cropper GIS Consultants and McKibben Demographic Research can be presented to the Board of Education for its consideration.
“As superintendent, I appreciate the Board’s willingness to move forward with the redistricting proposal,” adds Dr. Dunsmore. “There is a lot of work ahead of us. The next step will be for our Board to formally meet with Cropper GIS Consultants and McKibben Demographic Research to establish the criteria to be used for developing the recommended school boundaries.”
