Fairfax School Board Approves Redstricting Plan
posted 12:29 pm Fri February 29, 2008 - FAIRFAX, Va.
The school system's plan will redistribute students among five high schools. Students planning to enter an overcrowded school, like Westfield High, will be sent to under-utilized schools, like South Lakes High, which has space for another 700 students. The 10-2 vote will add about 600 students to South Lakes High School in Reston by 2012. The change will affect some students currently in the boundaries for Westfield, Oakton and Madison high schools. Some students in the Chantilly High School zone will be steered toward Oakton.
Many parents objected to the plan, saying it could split up families. For example, a ninth-grader currently attending Westfield could, as a sophomore, have a younger sibling attending South Lakes.
"It's very, very divided right now," says parent Sharon Barr, who supports the plan. "It's pitted neighbor against neighbor."
Her neighbor, Erika Castro, also supports the proposal. "Because it's closer. In terms of time, about 40 minutes a day is saved," she says.
But the proposal also has plenty of critics, who point out that while underenrolled, South Lakes also has lower test scores than neighboring schools, and a higher level of students requiring English as a second language (ESL) instruction. Many parents also say they bought their homes with a specific high school in mind for their children.
"When we bought our houses, we knew what schools our kids would go to, that we've made friends with all these people," said parent Michael Rosenblatt.
The school board listened to 26 hours of public hearings on the matter, including 500 speeches.
More than 90 elementary and middle school students will start new schools in the fall. Current high school students will remain at their school through graduation.
Latest Comment on Fairfax School Board Approves Redstricting Plan
mythoughts
8:10 am on 03/02/08
school is what you make it anyhow. if your child is going to do well then he/she will no matter where they go. I do understand how the parents feel however, you move into an area with expectations that your child will go to a certain school and to have that changed is upsetting. i think when county/state leaders make these changes it is not necessarily about overgrowth, but a need to make some changes academically and/or demographically. i dont believe that south lakes is a bad school and i am sure there are students there who do well as AAk pointed out. But some parents are snobby and certain schools just arent good enough for their kid. Overtime, whatever the leaders want to see changed will take place. Parents - calm down. it is not the worst thing in the world. if your kid is smart - he or she will prevail no matter where they go.
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