Comments on: Westchester Redistricting Options Available Online for Viewing

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 18:43:45 +0000

A school can be both a choice/charter school and a great neighborhood school – you can look at the Museum School in Avondale and Neighborhood Charter in Grant Park for 2 great examples. You could do a geographic preference for those on the North side of Scott (Chelsea Heights and Westchester) and you’d kill 2 birds with one stone.

I certainly agree that having a strong Westchester will be a great thing for the neighborhood!

By: Decatur Metro

Decatur Metro — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 17:13:32 +0000

I think we all agree that rezoning elementary schools is a painful process for all involved. Not everyone is going to be happy.

But here’s the thing: when we rezoned the last time around, we knew then that we’d have to rezone again in a few years to incorporate Westchester. I don’t believe that’s the case this time. I don’t know of any plans to open another elementary school in 3 years. I believe that all predictions we’ve heard thus far have fit within the capacities of the K-3s with Westchester.

Can you give some background the assumption that we’ll need to rezone again in 3 years?

Rezoning kids is no small matter. It’s painful for them. But we should also recognize that opening up another elementary school in anticipation of additional capacity – which would in effect mean that we would be well below capacity for a while – may be an option that’s too financially painful to already cash strapped CSD to handle.

By: At Home in Decatur

At Home in Decatur — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 16:41:25 +0000

Yesterday’s AJC has an article “School districts on the lookout for students who live elsewhere” which indicates that 15 students had to leave CSD so far this year because their families weren’t true residents. CSD definitely has become quite efficient at identifying and sending away students who are not attending legally. I remember a time when people used to claim that there were 100 to 300 illegally-attending students in CSD and that you could see many of them being dropped off to wait at bus stops at the borders of town. This is something that CSD seems to be on top of. Fewer folks seem to be trying to have their children attend illegally and fewer are succeeding.

(Full disclosure: I always feel sorry for the students sent away. It’s not their fault. I suspect that often there’s been a family change beyond their control–parent living with new mate outside of COD, losing an apartment; grandparent who owned the home died, etc.)

By: DawgFan

DawgFan — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 15:13:20 +0000

“If you don’t think it’s been democratic, then the system is working as designed. This is not mob rule. We have leaders who we empower to do what’s needed, and hold accountable via elections. Thank god we don’t put every single school capacity decision to a referendum.”

Great point. Could you imagine the mess we would be in if our leaders weren’t able to make tough decisions?

By: TeeRuss

TeeRuss — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 15:10:45 +0000

So what you are saying is that the management of our enrollment growth has not been done in a thoughtful, open, democratic manner.

If you don’t think it has been thoughtful, then that’s an immature response.

if you don’t think it has been open, then you haven’t been paying attention.

If you don’t think it’s been democratic, then the system is working as designed. This is not mob rule. We have leaders who we empower to do what’s needed, and hold accountable via elections. Thank god we don’t put every single school capacity decision to a referendum.

I just want to make it clear how much I flat out disagree with directing the complaints to CSD. The world is changing, people need to deal with that.