Category Archives: Redistricting

The Principal’s Advisory Committee (PAC) at Dunwoody Elementary School (DES) sent DeKalb Schools board and administration their feedback on the latest redistricting plan.

The Board of Education is scheduled to vote on the plan in February. The biggest concern articulated by the DES PAC is that the most recent redistricting proposal does not relieve overcrowding robustly enough. Below, I’ve included the DES enrollment projections and some of the details of the administration’s changes to the eSPLOST V project list addressing the need for more elementary school seats in the Dunwoody and Chamblee Clusters.

ENROLLMENT FORECASTS at
DUNWOODY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
According to the 2019 – 7 Year Enrollment Forecasts – Elementary Schools in Dunwoody, in 2025 DES will have approximately 1,412 students if there is no redistricting. DES school capacity is 955 students.

According to the October 2019 School Enrollment & Capacity Report, DES is currently at 123% utilization.

Year – Total Enrollment – Utilization
2017 – 1,092 – 114%
2018 – 1,173 – 123%
2019 – 1,177 – 123%
2020 – 1,212 – 127%
2021 – 1,245 – 130%
2022 – 1,310 – 137%
2023 – 1,358 – 142%
2024 – 1,378 – 144%
2025 – 1,412 – 148%

DUNWOODY CLUSTER – ROUND 4
The January Round 4 Redistricting Presentation for redistricting the elementary schools in the Dunwoody and Chamblee clusters seems to attempt to minimize disruption.

For Fall 2020, the latest redistricting plan is to move 102 students from Dunwoody ES to Austin ES. If a new elementary school doesn’t open until 2025, then for school year 2024 DES will have 1,276 students at 134% utilization.

NEW DUNWOODY/CHAMBLEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
A new ESPLOST project list was presented to the board on Monday. It includes turf fields for all high schools and a new elementary school for the Dunwoody/Chamblee cluster.

Timeline – No timeline was given for completion of a new elementary school. The project list also includes $1 million for improvements to the Old John Lewis school for Kittredge.

Location – Opening Nancy Creek as is or rebuilding Nancy Creek to a 950 seat school seems to be on the table. DeKalb Schools also owns the Shallowford site which is an ideal location for a new school. There is also $15 million in the project list to buy new land for a new school in the Dunwoody/Chamblee clusters. That money could be used to buy a new property or expand the small Shallowford site.

DES currently has 1,177 students at 123% utilization. A new elementary school could open Fall 2023 at the earliest. If 102 students are redistricted out now, then DES in year 2022 would have 1,208 students at 126% utilization.

Please comment below with your thoughts on the most recent proposals.

DeKalb Schools Round 4 redistricting plan for Dunwoody, Chamblee, Cross Keys and Lakeside clusters is out.

Interim Superintendent Ramona Tyson has been at the helm since last November. Among the many challenges DeKalb Schools faces, redistricting elementary schools in North DeKalb is one of them. Superintendent Tyson will collect feedback on the presented Round 4 Recommendations from the board and the public and present a final recommendation to the board on February 10 where it will be voted on.

BEST PRACTICES FOR CHANGING ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES
The DeKalb Schools administrative team said they wanted to build a plan around clearly defined goals, embrace collaboration and community engagement as well as hire an enrollment/redistricting analytics expert for district wide redistricting and consolidation of elementary, middle and high schools.

INTERIM PLAN GOALS
The superintendent committed to the development of a comprehensive master plan. A new Dunwoody/Chamblee elementary school has been added to the current ESPLOST V project list contingent upon board approval. In the mean time, the current redistricting plan reflects two main goals: 1) Populate the new schools and 2) Minimize disruption to families.

2020‐2021 PLAN
• Redistrict 800 students
• Develop Comprehensive Master Plan (CMP)
• Consider temporary annex relief options for Dunwoody/Chamblee Clusters for three‐year period: 1) Nancy Creek building (move Kittredge to former John Lewis ES) or 2) Explore other options in Dunwoody/Chamblee Clusters
• Locate land for new elementary school for Dunwoody/Chamblee Clusters

UTILIZATION MATRIX

DUNWOODY CLUSTER – ROUND 4
The new map for redistricting the elementary schools in the Dunwoody and Chamblee clusters seems to attempt to minimize disruption until a new elementary school can be built in the area. No timeline was given for completion of a new elementary school. For Fall 2020, the redistricting plan is to move 102 students from Dunwoody ES to Austin ES.

DORAVILLE UNITED – ROUND 4
Redistrict 108 students from Hightower ES to Doraville United ES. Redistrict 209 students from Cary Reynolds ES to Doraville United ES. Redistrict 381 students from Dresden ES to Doraville United ES

PLEASANTDALE ES – ROUND 4
Pleasantdale Elementary School redistricting is on hold pending further review. There are currently no changes to any elementary school in the Lakeside Cluster. Pleasantdale, with no redistricting, will open at 73% capacity.