Gwinnett County Schools on Friday responded to the suggestions of more than 1,400 parents and neighbors, releasing and released a new redistricting map that impacts fewer kids.
The revised boundary map, available on the district’s web site, www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us , shifts 602 Duluth and Suwanee area elementary, middle and high school students to other campuses, 114 fewer than originally proposed.
The changes, which impact students in the Duluth and Peachtree Ridge high school clusters, were made after planning department officials reviewed community input forms. Hundreds submitted their ideas in a grassroots campaign that included Duluth mayor Nancy Harris speaking out against the previously proposed boundary map at a school board meeting.
Residents were concerned that the proposed boundaries gave Duluth High a large share of impoverished Peachtree Ridge High students. Duluth High's population of students on free and reduced price lunch is nearly 50 percent compared to 32 percent of Peachtree Ridge teens.
“It looks a lot better than what we had before,” said parent David Lowry, who has a freshman at Duluth High. “It's a more equitable split. I would have to call that somewhat of a victory.”
Originally, 716 elementary, middle and high school students were slated to switch campuses under the proposed boundary changes. Approximately 128 students were to be moved from Harris Elementary to Chesney Elementary in Duluth under the redistricting effort. At the urging of parents who submitted forms, those students will stay put.
The planning department suggested other changes to balance the enrollment, including restoring some neighborhoods along Buford Highway to Duluth High that were zoned for Peachtree Ridge when the school opened in 2003. The suggestions will still have some teens graduating from rival schools. Students at Peachtree Ridge High could be swapping Lions' royal blue and white for the Duluth High Wildcats' purple and white.
“Our goal was to try to balance the enrollment between the Peachtree Ridge and Duluth clusters,” said Sloan Roach, spokeswoman for Gwinnett Schools. “We also want to try to minimize disruption when we can. We came up with a revised proposal that does call for some changes.”
A public hearing on the proposed map will be held on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the district's Suwanee headquarters. The board will vote on the proposed map Thursday at 7 p.m. at its business meeting.
Lowry said he is thrilled that businesses along Buford Highway and the neighborhoods can now support Duluth High.
“They were right there at Duluth High but didn’t want to support us because they were in the Peachtree Ridge district,” he said.
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