Gwinnett County’s student enrollment has increased by about 3,000 children a year, more than the entire student population in many Georgia districts. Here’s a breakdown of Gwinnett’s student enrollment since 2010 and projections for the rest of this decade.
Enrollment
FY 2019: 184,300
FY 2018: 181,224
FY 2017: 178,049
FY 2016: 176,052
FY 2015: 172,383
FY 2014: 169,150
FY 2013: 164,977
FY 2012: 162,370
FY 2011: 160,744
FY 2010: 159,298
Source: Gwinnett County Fiscal Year 2016 budget.
Why so often?
Gwinnett County has changed its school boundary lines far more frequently than other school districts in recent years. Gwinnett officials say they have to redistrict any time the district opens new schools. The vast majority of these redistricting initiatives were done to set attendance zones for new schools opening the next year.
School district lines are shifting in Gwinnett County. Again.
For the eighth time since 2005, school officials are working on redistricting plans in Georgia's largest school district. The changes could result in nearly 7,000 children, about 4 percent of Gwinnett students, attending different schools next fall. The deadline for residents' input was Friday.
Some parents and elected officials wonder how well the process works. Gwinnett currently uses 525 trailers for classroom space.
“It seems to me we are miscalculating where to put these facilities,” said state Rep. B.J. Pak, R-Lilburn, who asked Gwinnett Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks about redistricting during a meeting Tuesday. “There has to be a better system.”
Gwinnett officials say they try to project five years ahead to determine where to build new schools, but prognostications are tricky.
“There are areas where the growth just simply exceeds our ability to build facilities,” Wilbanks said during the meeting.
Wilbanks said Gwinnett has paid for the growth with money from the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, revenue that’s funded many of the 63 new schools built in the district since he became superintendent in March 1996. Gwinnett voters last month overwhelmingly approved an extension of the 1 percent sales tax for education including new school construction.
Gwinnett school officials, and others throughout metro Atlanta, may soon find it tougher to catch up as home construction increases. Single-family home building permits in Gwinnett recently passed last year's total, which means more children in the school district. U.S. Census Bureau figures show a 21 percent increase in residential permits in the Atlanta region between January and May compared with the same time period a year ago.
Concerns related to the additional growth abound in one part of Gwinnett.
County commissioners recently approved plans for a 222-home subdivision on 93 acres in Lilburn. About 27 acres belong to Gwinnett school board member Dr. Robert McClure. School officials have proposed changing the boundary lines for several schools in that area, and some parents want McClure not to take part in the vote on the changes, which is scheduled for January.
“Dr. McClure should hold himself to a higher standard,” said parent Amy Ney, who has a child taking classes in a trailer at Camp Creek Elementary School, near the planned development. “He may have no affiliation or interest in the success of this development, but even the appearance of impropriety with this deal will leave many people uncomfortable.”
McClure said the redistricting plans were in the works before discussions to build a subdivision. McClure doesn’t believe his involvement in the development is a conflict of interest. McClure has met with some parents about the redistricting and said he hopes they can propose solutions that will make everyone happy.
Last year, Gwinnett adopted some changes to redistricting plans that came from residents. District leaders say it’s tough to find reasonably priced, vacant land in an increasingly dense county.
“It’s always a challenge when you grow by that many students a year,” McClure said. “We added about 4,000 students last year. That’s more than” the entire enrollment of “most school districts in Georgia.”
Camp Creek parent Rick Bold is working with other parents on proposals to keep about 60 students, including his two daughters, from leaving the school in 2016. One of them, Abby, takes classes in a trailer. She filled out a form pleading to stay.
“I have been in a trailer for all of my 3rd grade and I am excited to move into the new building, so please let me stay at Camp Creek,” she wrote.
Gwinnett is likely to begin another round of redistricting in two or three years.
“It’s kind of a good news, bad news kind of thing,” said Steve Flynt, Gwinnett’s chief strategy and performance officer. “You’re growing, but it’s also a challenge finding places to meet the growth.”
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