Get your own Free Home PageSchool redistricting in Guilford County has been debated hot and heavily the last two years.
At one point it seemed to have taken an almost violent turn for the worst. Questions -- like when will it take affect, what’s it going to cost, how will it affect taxes, will racial tension be a problem, how will it affect student relationships, how will it affect staffing and schools in general -- were being asked at redistricting meetings GCS has offered to the public. The answers were often vague and contentious since the citizens of the county have very strong opinions about public education. The projected year for redistricting to take full affect is 2008. The process is predicted to cost $151.4 million.
As for racial tension, the problem is inevitable, but the school board and its allies are hoping that redistricting will soften the blow by balancing the racial ratios at most schools. Student relationships will also be effected. Some students will be separated from their friends when they split middle and elementary schools. This will have a positive and negative effect on students. The positive consequence is it will force many to make new friends -- and that will cut down on cliques; the negative will be the loss of old friendships because of separation.
Redistricting will have two major effects on Smith. First, students from the Lindley Park neighborhood will no longer be in the BLS attendance zone. Second, Smith is expected to see its enrollment increase to 1,800. Currently, Smith has a capacity of 1,140 students and a cramped enrollment of 1,190.
The expansion of Smith’s enrollment will cost taxpayers an estimated $11.5 million. The racial ratio is also expected to even out a little. The current racial ratio is 58 percent black, 17 percent Asian and approximately 23 percent white. With current demographic patterns, the Asian and other immigrant populations should continue to grow. However, GCS only factors in 2 percent decrease in black enrollment by 2008.
Meanwhile, the state board of education decided March 31 to end social promotion, at least in the third, fifth and eight grades. Under the new guidelines, third-, fifth- and eighth-graders will have to pass a multiple-choice test in reading and mathematics or repeat the grade. Similarly, juniors will have to pass a high school exit exam to receive their diplomas. The test will measure students’ knowledge of reading, grammar, math through Algebra I, science and history. This test may replace the competency test now given to eighth-graders and the 10th-grade comprehensive test of reading and math.
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