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Elementary School Boundary Process

School Board Work Session

October 29, 2020

Superintendent’s Messages

Approach in this Boundary Process

• Due to the pandemic and the strain on families, we narrowed the focus of this boundary process to make only those changes needed as a result of a new school opening in Fall 2021.

• Construction of the school at the Reed site is on track and is expected to open on time for the 2021-22 school year.

• Therefore, I have directed staff to review the initial proposal with an eye to making only the minimal changes necessary to fill all elementary schools in 2021-22 and to preserve flexibility for a broader, countywide boundary process in a few years.

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Community Information on Planning Projects

Frequent updates throughout each engagement process on APS Engage, including:

− Links to School Board Work Session/Meetings− Presentations− Timeline− Maps− Data− Community Input

Additional communications shared throughout the process via:− School Talk Engage messages − Social media − School Ambassador updates− News release

All Arlington Public Schools (APS) budget and operations decisions are based on the best information available at the time. S taff and community members are reminded that funding forecasts from Arlington County and the state may change, based on many external factors. Similarly, student enrollment and projections are based on the best available information, but are also subject to change due to employment, housing and other economic factors. For these reasons, APS and the Arlington School Board may adjust future budget allocations, staffing and other operations decisions to reflect the existing community and operating landscape.

Questions? Write to:[email protected]

Follow processes at:www.apsva.us/engage/fall2020elementaryboundaries-

virtualevents

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Agenda

•APS History: Elementary School Facilities

•Community Engagement

•Community Input

•Options for Adjustments to Initial Boundary Proposal

•Questions & Discussion

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APS History: Elementary School Facilities

• 2014: Addition to Ashlawn

• 2015: Opening of Discovery Elementary School

• 2017: Addition to McKinley

• 2019: Opening of Alice W. Fleet Elementary School

• 2020: Elementary Schools Moves Adoption

• 2020: Elementary School Boundary Process

• 2021: Opening of Reed site

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Community Engagement

Community Engagement: Countywide Approach

• Aligned with engagement recommendations from County Council of PTA (CCPTA), taking a countywide perspective to share information and encourage discussion across the system

• Information shared online at APS Engage, at virtual meetings, and at APS meal sites

• Use of varied communication channels and information in multiple languages

• Staff reviewed all community input, which informed the final data and potential refinements to initial boundary proposal

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Community Engagement: Two-Part Process

Spring 2020 Data Review

• Separate, early process in Spring 2020 to review data with the community

• Community engagement focus on gathering stakeholder input on draft data table and potential methodology approach

• Community input received was used to verify specific data points with County and make needed revisions to data

• Final data was published online, along with analysis of how community input was used in advance of fall boundary process

Fall 2020 Boundary Process

• Engage website information was updated to transition from Spring 2020 Data review to Fall 2020 boundary process

• Community engagement focus on gathering community input on initial boundary proposal

• Community input received is being used to inform potential refinements to proposal

• Information is posted online for each step of boundary process

www.apsva.us/engage/data-review-for-fall-2020-boundary-process/8

Community Engagement: Information & Activities

• APS Engage: www.apsva.us/engage− Timeline and engagement opportunities− Live virtual events and recordings− Data table, data analysis, and initial boundary proposal− FAQs and Information resources

• Virtual Community Meetings (with interpretation) and Staff Open Office Hours

• School Talk Engage messages, press release, APS School Ambassador weekly updates, Friday 5

• Community Questionnaire (in five languages)

• Social media posts, including Facebook Live video sessions

• Replies to email received via [email protected]

Fall Boundary Process also included:

• Text message to all families at all elementary schools involved and Multilingual voice line• Meeting with elementary school PTA Presidents & Ambassadors, advisory group representatives

▪ Brief presentations for PTAs and advisory groups to share▪ Handout in five languages at all APS meal sites and provided to Bilingual Family Resource Liaisons

• Information shared in-person with Woodbury Park residents9

Community Input

Community Participation and Input

• For Spring 2020 Data Review Process, about 520 responses to Community Questionnaire and about 140 participants in virtual sessions

• About 1,215 responses to Community Questionnaire in five languages− Responses show more support for recommended proposal than for alternate scenario

− First time to use multilingual voice messaging system for input in four languages

• About 570 participants in six virtual events for community members

• Replies to 110+ email messages received via [email protected]

• Targeted outreach in-person with Key families at AHC Woodbury Park

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Community Input: What We Heard Across Schools

Process

• Timing of this boundary process—possibility of delaying and doing a more comprehensive process later

• To leave the school populations as they are and conduct a boundary process in Fall 2022 or later

• Requests to consider grandfathering

• Middle school alignment

• The reassignment of planning units in multiple boundary processes

• Impact of proposal on school demographics

• Concerns over specific PU walk zone information

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Community Input: What We Heard Across Schools

Capacity• School enrollment above or below building capacity

• The use of relocatables and concerns about shared spaces (i.e. cafeteria, outdoor play space, etc.)

• Proposed reassignment of specific planning units

• Facility considerations (social distancing and HVAC)

Enrollment Data and Projections• Accuracy of projections

• Specific future housing developments

• Impact of COVID on projections

Find FAQs for this process at www.apsva.us/engage/fall2020elementaryboundaries/

(includes FAQs for schools that are not part of the boundary process)

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Options for Adjustments to Initial Boundary Proposal

Policy Considerations

Policy Considerations Initial Option A Option B

Alignment – Reassigned planning units or clusters of planning units that had:• 24 or more students, or• if less than 24 students, when they were in closer proximity or aligned with

middle/high school cohorts

Considered Yes Yes

Stability• Not moving Planning Units that were reassigned in 2018 boundary process

Yes Yes Yes

Demographics• Moving F/RL rate for schools towards the countywide average

Considered Considered Considered

Proximity & Efficiency• Increasing the proportion of students who live in the walk zone for the

neighborhood school they are assigned• Reducing the distances for bus riders• Filling schools to capacity

Considered Considered Considered

Contiguity• Maintaining attendance zones that are contiguous• Containing the school to which students are assigned

Yes Considered Considered

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Initial Proposal / Option A / Option B

Initial Proposal Option A Option B

# PU reassigned 39 22 15

# Students reassigned 1,371 858 613

# Schools

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ASFSAshlawnGlebeLong BranchMcKinleyNew school at KeyTaylorTuckahoe

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ASFSAshlawnMcKinleyNew school at KeyTaylorTuckahoe

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ASFSNew school at KeyTaylor

# schools involved in this boundary process that would be over capacity in 2021

3Ashlawn [114%], Glebe [128%], New school at Key [104%]

3ASFS [105%], Glebe [112%], McKinley at Reed [103%]

3Ashlawn [111%], Glebe [112%], McKinley at Reed [103%]

Notes• Creates an island for ASFS • Creates an island for ASFS

• Reed is outside of its attendance zone with PU 16061 remaining assigned to Tuckahoe 16

Initial Boundary Proposal

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Option A (DRAFT)

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Option B (DRAFT)

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Ashlawn: Initial Boundary Proposal

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Ashlawn: Initial Proposal / Option A / Option B

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Option A Option B

PU Initial Proposal Option A Option B

23220, 23230, 23231 ASFS ASFS Ashlawn

Arlington Science Focus School: Initial Proposal

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ASFS: Initial Proposal / Option A / Option B

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Option A Option B


24030, 24080 New ES at Key ASFS ASFS

23180, 23200, 23210, 23211 ASFS Taylor Taylor

Glebe: Initial Boundary Proposal

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Glebe: Initial Proposal / Option A / Option B

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Option A & B


14070, 14080, 14090 Glebe Continue with McKinley at Reed Continue with McKinley at Reed

Long Branch: Initial Boundary Proposal

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Long Branch: Initial Proposal / Option A / Option B

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Option A & B


24140 New school at Key Long Branch Long Branch

McKinley: Initial Boundary Proposal

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McKinley: Initial Proposal / Option A / Option B

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Option A Option B


14030 Ashlawn Continues with McKinley at Reed Continues with McKinley at Reed

14100, 14101, 14110 Ashlawn Ashlawn Continues with McKinley at Reed

14070, 14080, 14090 Glebe Continues with McKinley at Reed Continues with McKinley at Reed

Taylor: Initial Boundary Proposal

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Taylor: Initial Proposal / Option A / Option B

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Option A Option B

PU Initial Proposal

Option A Option B

23170, 23190 ASFS ASFS ASFS

23170, 23180, 23190, 23200, 23210, 23211 ASFS Taylor Taylor

24010, 24011, 24020 Taylor ASFS ASFS

Tuckahoe: Initial Boundary Proposal

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Tuckahoe: Initial Proposal / Option A / Option B

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Option A Option B


16050,16060 McKinley at Reed Tuckahoe Tuckahoe

16061 McKinley at Reed McKinley at Reed Tuckahoe

New Elementary School at Key Site

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New School at Key: Initial Proposal / Option A / Option B

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Option A Option B


24030, 24080 New school at Key ASFS ASFS

24060, 24050, 24051, 24070, 24071, 24130, 24081, 24082, 24042, 24041, 24043, 24040, 24031

New school at Key New school at Key New school at Key

Next Steps

• Community can continue to share input with staff via [email protected]

• Nov. 3—Superintendent's recommendation will be posted on BoardDocs and APS Engage webpage

• Nov. 5—Superintendent’s recommendation will be presented to School Board

• Dec. 1—Public Hearing on elementary school boundaries

• Dec. 3—School Board adoption of new boundaries for 2021-22

For more information:

www.apsva.us/engage/fall2020elementaryboundaries/

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Questions & Discussion

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School Board Work Session

October 29, 2020

Elementary School Planning

The Annual Update Documents the Steps APS Takes to Manage Enrollment

• View the 2020 Annual Update www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-02-12-Annual-Update-FINAL.pdf

• The 2021 Annual Update will be completed in February 2021

Next Steps to Produce the Annual Update • This work begins once the School Board adopts boundaries on Dec. 3• P&E reruns elementary projections using new boundaries• Principals and departments consider the ways to manage capacity• Adjustments in the Annual Update will also be reflected in the Spring 2021 Update to

projections for 2021-22 and in the School Board’s FY 2022 Budget

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Fall 2020 Enrollment Data and This Boundary Process

• Opening a new school, adjusting boundaries, and moving three schools will address some of the current enrollment imbalances for 2021-22

• This boundary process is guided by the 2019 10-year projections The 2020 10-Year Projections will be published in December, after the Dec. 3 adoption of

boundaries

In January, staff will re-run elementary projections applying the adopted boundaries

• Initial enrollment for 2020-21 is down but it is not expected to affect projection trends

2020-21 is unusual, there is no precedent for estimating enrollment during a pandemic

Planning needs to focus on the existing data

• Projections for future enrollment are based on data over multiple years

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Schools not included in the 2020 Boundary Process

With boundary adjustments only at seven existing elementary schools, APS is managing enrollment in other ways:• Continuing to use relocatable classrooms

• Moving, or postponing moves, of some PreK and countywide special education classes

• Continuing long-term planning for elementary school enrollment, especially on the western end of Columbia Pike, as we develop the FY 2022 Capital Improvement Plan this year

• Another boundary process within the next two years

These schools are:

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• Abingdon• Alice West Fleet• Barcroft• Barrett• Carlin Springs• Discovery

• Dr. Charles Drew• Hoffman-Boston• Jamestown• Nottingham• Oakridge• Randolph

PreK

School #PreK2020-21

#PreK2021-22

ASFS 0 2

Ashlawn 4 4

Glebe 1 1

Long Branch 2 2

McKinley 0 0 (at Reed site)

Taylor 1 1

Tuckahoe 2 2

New ES at Key N/A 2

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School #PreK2020-21

#PreK2021-22

Abingdon 4 4

Alice West Fleet 5 5

ATS 3 3

Barcroft 4 4

Barrett 6 6

Campbell 3 3

Carlin Springs 8 8

Claremont 2 2

Discovery 3 3

Dr. Charles Drew 7 7

Hoffman-Boston 8 8

Jamestown 5 5

Key Immersion 2 2

Montessori 8 8

Nottingham 2 2

Oakridge 5 5

Randolph 4 4

Schools Involved in Boundary Process Schools Not Involved in Boundary Process

*Additional PreK moves may occur and take effect for SY 2021-22 as part of the Annual Update that is published in January

Committed Affordable Housing (CAF)

Development PU Projected Increase in Student Enrollment

Year Initial Boundary Proposal

Option A Option B

American Legion/APAH3445 Washington Blvd.

23190 90 2023 ASFS ASFS ASFS

Ballston Station4201 Fairfax Drive

13090 60 2024 Ashlawn Ashlawn Ashlawn

Queens Court1801 N. Quinn St

24051 85 2021 New ES at Key New ES at Key New ES at Key

Schools Not Involved in Boundary Process

APEX East & West (formerly The Berkeley)2900 S. Glebe Rd.

48960 88 2020 N/A(Oakridge)

N/A N/A

Gilliam Place3507 Columbia Pike

37051 60 2019 N/A(Fleet)

N/A N/A

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