Applying the Rules of Redistricting I: Elementary Schools

Now you didn't think I would write up the rules of redistricting without coming up with my own plan did you? Well, whether or not you thought so, I did. This plan uses a much more minimalist approach to the number of Schools effected and number of kids moved. I used the mantra that over-crowding can't be remedied in one go around and areas that are getting a new or replacement school in the coming years will remain untouched until said School opens to avoid redistricting the same Neighborhood(s) twice. This is the first of three posts regarding these plans focusing merely on the Elementary Schools by region.

East Columbia.
No changes for East are needed. Talbott Springs is the only crowded school in this region and is slated to get a replacement school in 2021. The replacement school will be much larger thereby taking care of the crowding in the current building without redistricting.

West Columbia
Other than the River's Edge Community, (see Western Region) no changes are needed here either. It's very true that many of the schools here are crowded or will become crowded, ES#44 will open/reopen at the Faulkner Ridge site in 2027 and any short term redistricting proposals for West Columbia will see the same Neighborhoods redistricted then. Another thing to note here is that 100 seat addition on Swansfield is merely to stem the existing district's crowding and can't take anymore students. If Bryant Woods and/or Running Brook were to get replacement Schools, any redistricting done should occur once so as not to redistrict the same Neighborhood twice.

Northeast 
Since this is where the most crowding is and where the lone new school (ES#42) for 2018 is opening, it makes sense that the most redistricting will occur here. First lets list the schools in this region that won't see any changes; Elkridge, Ilchester, Veterans, and Worthington. On the flip side, Bellows Spring, Deep Run, and Ducketts Lane will see the most since they're the most crowded. Lets look at the maps for a closer look.

Here's ES#42

 

Here's Bellows Spring

And then Finally, Deep Run and Ducketts Lane

Northern

Other than schools in the western region providing relief to Manor Woods, there's actually very little else to be done in this region. There will be no changes at Centennial Lane, Holliefield Station, and Northfield. When ES#44 opens in West Columbia, Centennial Lane and Northfield will play a part then. The only other redistricting needed is St. Johns Lane and Waverly. Waverly is having a large addition built as we speak and St. Johns Lane is very crowded. ES#45 is slated to open in the new Turf Valley Development in the 2020s but it will be a replacement for West Friendship. I'm hoping that redistricting for this new school is minimal and won't involve Neighborhoods that were already redistricted in 2018.

and Manor Woods 

Southeast

The Southeast is beginning to experience crowding again, I'm not proposing any redistricting in this region until 2023 when ES#43 opens. Any and all redistricting that would happen now would be redistricted yet again in 2023. I'm including Fulton as part of the southeast for the purposes of this post. The most likely site for ES#43 will be the Mission Road Site in Jessup recently purchased by the County. 

Western

The Western part of the County is different from the rest in that its schools have space to fill. This is good because with Manor Woods being as crowded as it is, I had used West Friendship and Tridelphia Ridge to relieve it. By these two schools relieving Manor Woods, they will themselves become over-crowded. Bushy Park and Clarksville will relieve West Friendship and Tridelphia Ridge respectively. Dayton Oaks will receive students from Pointers Run which will in turn receive students from Clemens Crossing. No changes will be made to Lisbon or Fulton.

 

now Dayton Oaks and Pointers Run

This concludes the Elementary School portion of my plan for the 2018 school year. I tried my best to minimize redistricting and maximize capacities in the northeast and western regions of the County. Since more schools are needed in the other regions, I'm waiting to delve into redistricting those areas until those new schools open so as not to redistrict the same Neighborhoods twice.