600 attend first meeting on new school maps
More than 600 parents and community members spilled into the auditorium aisles of Jackson High School Monday to learn about a massive redistricting planned for Atlanta Public Schools.
The citywide redistricting -- the first in almost a decade – could affect almost every neighborhood in the 49,000-student district. APS must figure out how to balance enrollment between schools that are as little as 20 percent full and others that are overcrowded.
At Monday night's meeting, the first of four scheduled this week, parents voiced concerns about travel time for students, racial diversity and divided neighborhoods.
Kirkwood residents whose students are zoned to attend Toomer Elementary, said they are frustrated their neighborhood will be divided by the proposed boundaries. They believe the wishes of parents in more affluent neighborhoods are winning out, a sentiment echoed by several speakers at the community meeting.
"I don't see a lot of other neighborhoods that are split up into thirds, and I think that's because some neighborhoods get more respect," said Betsy Quinn, a Kirkwood resident.
Last week, the demographers hired by the district released two new scenarios for redrawing attendance boundaries in the district. Both included the possibility of closing about a dozen schools, and building or expanding schools in crowded North Atlanta.
The maps were revised from a set of four maps released in the fall. Demographers said they received more than 8,200 comments and 800 e-mails based on the first round of scenarios, and the changes reflected some of the concerns raised by parents. School officials have stressed that the maps are not final and will likely change again as demographers make their final recommendations.
After that, the superintendent will evaluate the recommendations, make changes as necessary, and hold another round of community meetings. Final boundaries are expected to go before the school board for a vote in April.
Parents like Mia Evans Buckner are hopeful the next revision will take into account their wishes. Buckner's children are zoned to attend East Lake Elementary, which is slated to close under the proposals.
"We feel like we're ants fighting against Stone Mountain," she said.
The district will continue to hold community meetings throughout the week. The meetings are scheduled for Tuesday at Young Middle, Wednesday at North Atlanta High and Thursday at Price Middle. All meetings begin at 6:30 p.m.
