Work Session

BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HOWARD COUNTY MEETING AGENDA ITEM

TITLE: Options to Relieve High School Overcrowding DATE: October 2, 2018 Scott W. Washington, Director, Capital Planning and Construction Jennifer Bubenko, Planning Specialist, School Planning Dan L. Lubeley, Manager, Design and Preconstruction Services PRESENTER(S):

Strategic Call To Action Alignment: This process supports the Strategic Call to Action (SCTA) by providing transparent, open and accessible communication to ensure that all stakeholders can exercise their roles as valued partners.

OVERVIEW: On September 20, 2018, the Board directed staff to provide a report on the following topics. Details are in attached report.

 Review expansion of Jump Start  Review open enrollment options  Options that better accommodate students at Howard and Centennial High Schools  Address small feeds leftover from last year's redistricting  Provide information on development polygons

RECOMMENDATION/FUTURE DIRECTION: Provide direction on selected relief options.

SUBMITTED BY: APPROVAL/CONCURRENCE: Scott W. Washington Michael J. Martirano, Ed.D. Director Superintendent Capital Planning and Construction

Dan L. Lubeley Karalee Turner-Little Manager Deputy Superintendent Design and Preconstruction Services

Renée M. Kamen Anissa Brown Dennis Manager Chief Operating Officer School Planning

Introduction

Several Howard County Public Schools are outside of the target utilization range (90 percent - 110 percent) as defined by Policy 6010 School Attendance Areas. Specifically, Howard HS, Centennial HS, Long Reach HS, Mt Hebron HS and Hammond HS are projected to be above 110 percent capacity utilization, excluding relocatables, within the next five years of the projection. Long Reach HS is expected to receive relief from the JumpStart program to lower the capacity utilization below 110 percent in SY 2018-19. The Board of Education voted on June 7, 2018 to direct the Superintendent to provide comprehensive options in order to relieve crowding, specifically at the high school level and attendance areas for HS #13. On August 23, 2018, staff presented a number of options to provide immediate, mid-term and long-term relief of overcrowding at the high school level. The Board held a public hearing on September 11, 2018. In follow up, on September 20, 2018, the Board directed staff to provide a report on the following topics.

● Review expansion of Jump Start ● Review of open enrollment options ● Options that better accommodate students at Howard and Centennial High Schools ● Address small feeds leftover from last year's redistricting ● Provide information on development polygons

1. Review expansion of JumpStart

JumpStart is a partnership between the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) and the Howard Community College (HCC) to expand options for students to gain college credits, explore possible careers, or earn an associate degree. This program provides several options for students to take advantage of dual enrollment with HCC. These options are designed to give students a jump on their college education and prepare them for a career by earning industry certifications.

Students at Howard HS, Long Reach HS and Centennial HS are permitted to attend programs at Oakland Mills HS or River Hill HS. This out-of-attendance area enrollment option was made available to help reduce crowding and more fully utilize schools that have available seats. Over 500 students registered for the JumpStart Program and of those students, 224 students are out-of-attendance area.

Status of the program The final count of students who transferred from Howard, Centennial and Long Reach to Oakland Mills and River Hill is 224. Thirty out-of-attendance area students from the initial enrollment of 254 in March 2018 decided to return to their home high school. The majority of students cited transportation, specifically accessing their designated hub stops at the pickup times, as the reason for withdrawing from the program.

Include trailing siblings ● There are potentially 100 trailing siblings who may follow their brothers and sisters into JumpStart in the next four years. There are 16 siblings who will be 9th graders in SY2019-20.

JumpStart Transfers and Their Trailing Siblings Oakland Mills HS Jump Start Participants Oakland Mills HS Trailing Siblings SY2018-19 Grade SY2018-19 Grade Sending Grade Grade Grade School 9 10 11 Grade 12 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Centennial HS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Howard HS 9 0 0 0 2 1 1 1 Long Reach HS 24 10 5 1 2 3 5 3 TOTALS 34 10 5 1 4 4 6 4

River Hill HS Jump Start River Hill HS Trailing Siblings Participants SY2018-19 Grade SY2018-19 Grade Sending Grade Grade Grade School 9 10 11 Grade 12 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Centennial HS 8 2 0 0 1 1 2 1 Howard HS 37 1 6 0 1 3 8 4 Long Reach HS 91 21 7 1 17 18 19 7 TOTALS 136 24 13 1 19 22 29 12

TOTAL # STUDENTS 224

TOTAL # SIBS 100

Projections and JumpStart Enrollment Spring 2017 Post JS Post JS DRAFT Projected SY2018-19 Projected Preliminary DRAFT Enrollment Projected JS Projected Utilizatio SY2018-19 Preliminary Capacity SY2018-19 Utilization Transfers Enrollment n Enrollment Utilization Long Reach HS 1488 1176 119.35% -160 1586 106.59% 1557 104.64% Howard HS 1420 1943 136.83% -53 1908 134.37% 1893 133.31% Centennial HS 1360 1672 122.94% -11 1664 122.35% 1594 117.21% Oakland Mills MS 1400 1141 81.50% +50 1217 86.93% 1222 87.29% River Hill HS 1488 1202 80.78% +174 1411 94.83% 1383 92.94%

Plans to expand the program at existing schools, and/or add additional schools: ● We are currently in discussion with HCC regarding the expansion of Dual Enrollment courses to be made available at all HCPSS high schools as well as targeted expansion of structured program options. ● Based on current projections, River Hill HS will be at capacity with the existing JumpStart transfer students and their trailing siblings. ● Oakland Mills HS projected utilization is 86.9%. This means that potentially Oakland Mills HS could accept a limited number of additional JumpStart students. ○ Therefore, we can examine opportunities to expand structured programs at other HCPSS high schools currently not at capacity. This could potentially include Wilde Lake HS (94.8% projected utilization for SY2019-20) and Marriotts Ridge HS (88.2% projected utilization for SY2019-20), based on the June 2018 Feasibility Study.

Transportation costs and information ● The initial transported start-up cost for JumpStart was $430,785. The Office of Transportation has found efficiencies by pairing the JumpsStart routes with elementary school routes, and the cost to support the program is approximately $216,000 annually. ● Currently, the average annual cost to transport one JumpStart student is $900 before and after school to collector stops with full buses. To replicate the JumpStart transportation for an additional 225 students in similar geographic areas will cost approximately $216,000 annually. ● The cost to transport students between high schools and HCC’s campus is $9,000 annually for one bus that makes one trip each way. Transportation costs

and details may vary widely based on how the expansion of JumpStart and Dual Enrollment is determined by the Board.

Howard Communication College ● HCC provides a 50% tuition discount to HCPSS students. HCPSS is responsible for paying the tuition of students receiving Free And Reduced-Priced Meals (FARMs) who take any of the approved courses listed in the 2018 Memorandum of Understanding with Howard Community College. HCC is able to accept additional students on their campus.

Additional costs ● Support staff (e.g. Special Educators, English Teachers). ● Purchase of additional HCC textbooks for Dual Enrollment (DE) courses taught in HCPSS. ● Technology infrastructure at high schools to accommodate HCC software. ● Tuition for Dual Enrollment students receiving FARMs at HCPSS and HCC (if increased, will cost approximately $200,000-$250,000 annually based on expanded enrollments)

Expansion of JumpStart Opportunities Considerations

Elective program that can provide relief to Rapid expansion without adequate time to crowded High Schools. plan.

College credits for High School students at Elective program - relief of crowding reduced tuition. dependent on participation (not guaranteed).

HCC has capacity to accept more students Added transportation costs - new contracts, on their campus. collector stops, and transportation to/from out-of-attendance area school and/or HCC.

Provides better utilization at schools that host Access to collector stops is a barrier for the program. some.

Added tuition costs for HCPSS students receiving FARMs ($200k-$250k).

Additional Technology costs.

Support staffing if needed (e.g. Special Educators, English Teachers).

Additional cost for HCC textbooks.

Recommendation: Continue JumpStart and trailing sibling options and plan for incremental expansion as funding and support allows.

2. Review Open Enrollment Options

In Howard County, school assignment is based on the student’s residential address. Policy 9000 - Student Residency, Eligibility, Enrollment and Assignment outlines the procedures for determining eligibility to attend school in the HCPSS, for admitting/enrolling students in schools, and for student reassignment. Students may request student reassignment for specific reasons listed in Policy 9000. The policy also outlines open school designation and procedures for application for reassignment.

Relevant Policy text

Policy 9000, IV. M. Open School Designation (General) The Board may identify schools that, because they have available space, are open to enrollment by a student not living in the schools' attendance areas. Parents may request a student’s reassignment to an open school according to established procedures. The request is subject to approval by the Superintendent/Designee. A student reassigned under this standard will be eligible for extracurricular activities, except the student will not be eligible for participation in interscholastic athletics for a period of one year effective the date of transfer. The parent may be required to provide transportation.

Policy 9000, IV. N. Open School Designation (Directed) The Board may identify schools that have a programmatic initiative where there are fewer applicants than openings and direct that they are open to enrollment by a student not living in the programmatic initiative schools' attendance areas. Parents may request a student’s reassignment to a directed open school according to established procedures. The request is subject to approval by the Superintendent/Designee. A student reassigned under this standard will be eligible for extracurricular activities and participation in interscholastic athletics. Transportation may be provided.

Policy 9000 IP, VI. Student Reassignment Initiated by Parents under Standard M. (Open School Designation-General) All schools will have attendance areas determined by the Board. A student attending public schools in Howard County will attend the designated school serving the attendance areas in which their parents have bona fide residence unless reassignment is granted or administrative placement occurs. In the event that the Board identifies school that are open to enrollment by students not living in the schools’ attendance area, student reassignment may be initiated by parents in accordance with the following procedures: A. Parents requesting reassignment to an open school will submit the form, Request for Student Reassignment, during a designated period, to the Superintendent/Designee. B. In any school(s) where there are more applicants than openings, a lottery will be conducted. 1. The lottery will be administered by the Superintendent/Designee. 2. A timeline will be established which includes: announcement of the lottery, a lottery registration window, the date on which the lottery will be held, and deadlines for selected students to exercise their options. 3. Each student’s name will be given a number. The affected parents and students will be invited to attend an open meeting at which the lottery is held. Numbers will be drawn to fill the available slots in the open enrollment school. Additional numbers will be drawn to establish a list of alternates. 4. In the event that students selected by the lottery do not exercise their option by the established lottery deadline, alternates will be extended the option in the order drawn until a given deadline or until the number of available slots is filled, whichever comes first. C. If no lottery is necessary, the Superintendent/Designee will approve or deny the request. D. Students reassigned under this provision will be ineligible for interscholastic athletics for a period of one year, effective the day of transfer.

VII. Student Reassignment Initiated by Parents under Standard N. (Open School Designation-Directed) In the event that the Board identifies schools with a programmatic initiative that are open to enrollment by students not living in the programmatic initiative schools’ attendance area, student reassignment may be initiated

by parents in accordance with the procedures described in Section VI.A-C of these implementation procedures. When conducting the lottery, sibling information will be taken into account.

Relevant Background for Open Enrollment Discussion Open Enrollment was last studied by staff in 2011. A report was delivered to the Board, with a number of findings based on the conditions in 2011. Many of those findings are still relevant, and are presented in the following sections.

Some HCPSS students have out-of-attendance area placements based on eligible criteria as outlined in Policy 9000, but HCPSS has not allowed open enrollment as a matter of parent choice since 2001. Open enrollment was discontinued in practice at that time to enable facility planning based on geographic assignment.

Relief for Overcrowded Schools Policy 6010 indicates action to be considered once schools are projected to be outside of target utilization (90% - 110%). For SY2019-20, four high schools are projected to be over 110%, while three are projected to be under 90%.

In order for open enrollment to bring those schools over 110% to approximately 115% in 2019 approximately 900-1,100 students would need to open enroll at schools with capacity. Assuming that reaching the 115% utilization is the goal for over-crowded schools, it is estimated that approximately 1,100 students would need to open enroll. This matches the number of seats at receiving schools, assuming a maximum of 115% is acceptable.

Transportation Costs The estimated start-up cost to bid and select contracts is $1,216,000 - $1,472,000. This cost is estimated using $64,000 estimated per bus contract cost. Estimating 44 students per bus results in 19-23 buses required. Buses used to support this program would then be used for other trips within the system. This is the same approach used for the JumpStart program. HCPSS policy does not require the provision of transportation for students approved to enroll in a school other than their geographic home school. The inability of some families to provide transportation can lead to equity concerns.

Impact on Staffing Process The annual staffing process for the next school year begins in January and continues through the summer months. Students electing to open enroll would need to be

identified prior to January of the preceding school year, in order to be included in enrollment projections and staffing calculations. Impact on Student Reassignment Process In the event that the Board identifies schools that are open to enrollment by students not living in those school’s attendance areas, Policy 9000 directs parents to initiate reassignment requests by submitting a Student Reassignment Request Form. The number of reassignment requests submitted to the Office of student Reassignment has increased each of the last four years.

Total Student Reassignment Requests

School Year Number of Reassignment Requests

2013-2014 971

2014-2015 1007

2015-2016 1143

2016-2017 1189

Planning for the timing and volume of these requests would be necessary prior to implementation. Open Enrollment Opportunities Considerations

Can possibly provide immediate relief. Effectiveness depends on elective participation.

Voluntary participation (not mandatory like Could lower feed percentages of small feeds redistricting). if students from those areas elect to leave their home schools.

Circumvents sound long term facility planning based on geographic attendance areas.

Equity concerns could arise around transportation and offerings only at selected schools.

If transportation provided, costs could be greater than $1 million.

Careful planning for timing of applications to ensure proper staffing calculations and timely processing of applications.

In order for meaningful relief at sending schools, resulting utilization for receiving schools would need to be 115%, which is outside of target utilization in Policy 6010.

Recommendation: Continue to support Policy 9000, applications for out-of-attendance area assignment should be directed to the Superintendent.

Programmatic Directed Open Enrollment Options

The Board directed staff to explore Performing Arts Directed Enrollment Options. Two options were prepared: a Center for the Arts (Option 1) and a Fine Arts Production Academy (Option 2). These selections would be open school destination (Directed) options.

Center for the Arts - Option 1 Overview

Option 1 Background : The HCPSS Board of Education has requested a high-level overview of the feasibility of opening an arts center in the Fall of 2019. The following details the program description, opportunities and considerations for implementation, start-up cost, entrance criteria, and feasible locations.

Option 1 Program Description: The Center for the Arts is a public arts high school offering dance, theatre, music, visual arts, film, and stage design programs. Students will select to participate in strands focused in one of the following fields: ● Dance - coursework in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop, dance design ● Theatre - focused instruction on acting including scene study, rehearsal, and performance ● Music - two tracks of instruction, vocal and instrumental, centered upon the techniques and repertoire of various genres of music ● Visual Arts - focused on a wide variety of media and techniques, as well as composition

● Film - coursework in film studies and production skills using technology that’s currently utilized in the field ● Technical Design - coursework on supporting productions including set design, lighting and sound production, as well as the study of form and function ● Communications - coursework in marketing, public relations, and promotion to support art centered business careers

Option 1 Location: Wilde Lake High School

Option 1 Student Attendance Options: ● Targeted Open Enrollment for students from Centennial, Long Reach, Mount Hebron, and Howard High Schools ● Second Option - Targeted Open Enrollment for students from every HCPSS High School

Center for the Arts - Option 1 Opportunities Considerations

Provide programming for students that Negative impact on current comprehensive aren’t being adequately serviced. school fine arts programs.

Creation of a unique program that will Rapid startup without time to plan. further benefit the programs in HCPSS.

Potential for innovative partnerships, Facility upgrades would be a large expense to internships and collaborations inside the accommodate high-quality comprehensive county and beyond. programming and proposed magnet programming.

Uncertain of the overall interest of students from targeted schools.

Rouse availability to the school system is limited beyond the school day, adding programs would be prohibitive with limited partnership access.

Districtwide, there will be students from all high schools that want to attend, there will be an equity problem when students cannot participate due to lack of seats.

Estimated cost: Transportation TBD. Facilities/Construction $20M. Equipment $1.75M. Professional Learning $19,800 x 4 Years. Curriculum Development 160K. Staffing $1.12M. Materials of Instruction TBD.

Historically Performing Arts schools have diminished the quality of other district comprehensive arts programs.

Curriculum would need to be developed.

Program would need to be launched regionally to provide equitable access to students from various schools.

Fine Arts Production Academy - Option 2 Overview

Option 2 Background: The HCPSS Board of Education has requested a high-level overview of the feasibility of opening a performing arts center in the Fall of 2019. The following details a program that enhances the current course offerings while providing students an opportunity to explore the area of artistic production. The program is designed as a 4-year sequence that allows students the ability to complete internships in our HCPSS schools and beyond to utilize the design skills yielded in their production academy course load. These course offerings provide students with opportunities that are not currently available to them in their current courses.

Option 2 Program Description: Fine Arts Production Academy is a program inside of a traditional public school setting that gives a student the opportunity to take specific courses in Fine Arts Production. Students will select to participate in strands focused on the fields below: ● Music Production- focused on producing original music for film scoring, music video and beyond. Students learn techniques in music technology, sound design, sound board operation, microphone placement, and music performance. They utilize these skills to develop an authentic voice with spoken word, instrumental music, vocal music or electronic music.

● Theatre Production- focused on designing for all areas of theater. Students learn how to design all aspects of the theater. Design includes set building and design, scenery, props, costumes, make-up, lighting, sound, stage management. ● Video/Film Design- focused on a wide variety of media and techniques, as well as composition ● Film - coursework in film studies and production skills using technology that’s currently utilized in the field ● Each student in the Production Academy takes coursework in sound design, entrepreneurial skills, and Public Relations/Marketing. ● Each student in the Production Academy utilizes up to 40 out of school hour experiences to support the 12 High Schools with set construction, sound design, stage management in their 3rd and 4th years of the program. ● Each student will also have the opportunity to utilize HCPSS partnerships to maintain short internships in a field of their desire to utilize the skills attained in the Fine Arts Production Academy.

Option 2 Location: Wilde Lake High School

Option 2 Student Attendance Options: ● Open Enrollment for students in HCPSS ● Open Enrollment for students at CHS, HoHS, LRHS, WLHS

Center for the Arts - Option 2 Opportunities Considerations

Provide programming for students that Uncertain of the interest of students from HCPSS. aren’t being adequately serviced.

Creation of a unique program that will Initial financial cost would be high further benefit the programs in Estimated Cost include: HCPSS. ● Facilities/Construction TBD. ● Equipment $1M. ● Curriculum Development $60K. ● Staffing $320K. ● Materials of Instruction minimum of $50K.

Potential for innovative partnerships, Potential for this program to expand beyond one internships and collaborations inside site is great. the county and beyond.

Potential to support the technical Initial decrease in some programs across all needs at each of the High Schools in schools. HCPSS.

Wilde Lake High School has a shared auditorium. Negotiations with the county government would be needed to access the space for after-school performances.

Physical spaces would need to be remade to accommodate larger groups of students.

Curriculum would need to be developed.

Program would need to be launched regionally to provide equitable access to students from various schools.

Additional resource teachers would be needed to support these programs including managing internships and placement of students.

Recommendation: Continue to plan programmatic options. Do not recommend planning for implementation of a Fine Arts program for the SY2019-20.

3. Options to better accommodate students at Howard High School and Centennial High School

Students arrive and depart at different times (shifts) in the staggered start times model. This allows for the attendance area to remain the same and there is only a short overlap in the shifts where all students are at the school at the same time.

Impact of Staggered Start Times in High Schools Opportunities Considerations

Relieves overcrowding during the portion of Additional transportation costs - busses the day when all shifts do not overlap. would have to make three or four runs instead of two. Approximate costs: Howard HS: $700,000 Centennial HS: $570,000.

Hallways less crowded - easier to get from Impact on after school and before school one place in the building to another more student activities and clubs - all students can quickly and efficiently. not participate at the same time.

Lunch shifts less crowded - students able to Impact on sense of school spirit and pride - get their lunches more quickly. whole school body is not together for a majority of the day - less opportunity to get to know some other students.

Relieves overcrowding in parking lot. Impact on Athletics (practices) - all students can’t practice at same time unless start time for practices is after the final shift of students, this would cause transportation issues for students on earlier shift(s).

May be able to remove or not use some Impact on Athletics (games) - game start portables, more students will be instructed in times would need to be after dismissal of final the building. shift, transportation issues for earlier shift students and students from other high schools who are competing against these schools.

Impact on negotiated agreements and budget- either staff members will have longer days and need to be paid extra for their time, or multiple principals, assistant principals, teachers, etc. will need to be hired as part of the “second shift”.

Notes: ● Many classes and programs require overlap across grade level for courses leading to many students no longer having traditional single grade level classes. ● The positives in the chart above address the issue of having fewer students physically within spaces/areas within the schools. ● The concerns stated have implications for increased funding for transportation and staff salary; impact on building Strategic Call to Action Commitment to CONNECT; and could influence change in school culture.

Recommendation: The School Management and Instructional Leadership Division will continue working with principals to implement strategies that are differentiated to each school’s needs. Area Community Superintendents and Directors will collaborate with principals around logistics to implement necessary structures and processes to address specific school needs.

Examples of Differentiated Approaches in Centennial HS and Howard HS Centennial High School Howard High School

● The Main Gym, Aux Gym, and Cafeteria Hallways: are used for activities, such as dances, ● For every day except Wednesday, the that used to be only held in the Main passing time is 6 minutes instead of 5. Gym. The school was able to achieve this time ● The Student Government Association without affecting instructional time or (SGA) and Administration work together lunch time by eliminating the transition to create multiple assemblies when time between lunch shifts. The previous planning presentations, working to bell schedule had a delay between the schedule guest speakers, etc. end of one shift and the beginning of ● SGA students helped staff devise a plan another, but we reallocated those minutes to create alternate traffic pattern routes to the passing time periods. The need for during passing times between classes a longer passing time is not just a function that incorporate the use of hallways other of the population size, but also the than the main hallway, walking outside to geographic layout of the school. It is ¼ cut down on traffic and distance, and mile from one side of the building to the adding a second entrance to access when other. traveling between the building and ● Administrators are positioned at crowded portables. Staff members are positioned intersections during passing times to help in certain hallways to monitor open doors move along the traffic flow and to to the outside that are now used to ease encourage students to use underutilized traffic flow. Staff members are also hallways or stairwells (direct routes are stationed in all hallways to help with not always the fastest). movement between classes. Parking: ● Students are allowed to leave the ● Parking permits are issued only to seniors cafeteria and use the front patio, front and juniors in the following curricular hallway, and side hallway areas once they programs: release time for HCC, finish their lunches. Intern/Mentor Gifted and Talented, and ● Staff and students in the Project Lead The JROTC. Way engineering classes are working ● 218 permits have been issued thus far. together on a project related to building Homecoming: use/traffic patterns. Their results will be ● The cap for Homecoming tickets is 1,300 presented later in the year. students. The primary limiting factor is the capacity of the gym. In addition to the gym for dancing, students go into the auxiliary gym for mini-golf; the wrestling room for a green screen photo room; the atrium for cornhole, life size jenga, and

other backyard games; the cafeteria for pizza, drinks, and board games; and outside the cafeteria for game trucks. ● 1,157 students bought tickets this year. ● To help ensure that seniors did not get eliminated from attending the dance, the school started ticket sales with a seniors only day. ● To help ensure that Howard students were not denied attendance over guests from other schools, the school opened up ticket sales for non-Howard guests on the last two days only. Cafeteria: ● There are 36 cafeteria tables in the cafeteria. ● Starting last year, the school added 6 tables in the atrium to create a quieter place for lunch. There is also a senior courtyard with seating for about 80-100 students.

4. Address small feeds leftover from last year's redistricting

Policy 6010 School Attendance Areas provides standards that the Board of Education considers while making boundary adjustment plans. As described under community stability, “where reasonable, school attendance areas should promote a sense of community in both the geographic plan (e.g., neighborhood or place in which a student lives) and the promotion of a student from each school level through the consideration of: feeds that encourage keeping students together from one school to the next; areas that are made of contiguous communities or neighborhoods; and frequency with which any one student is reassigned.” A small feed is when a school receives less than 15 percent of it’s student population from any sending school. For example, the enrollment of Long Reach HS is comprised of only 156 students (9%) from Elkridge Landing MS.

The Board requested staff to review remaining small feeds following the 2017 boundary line review and approval process. Small feeds can be eliminated through boundary changes. In all, 20 small feeds exist, either middle from elementary schools or high from middle schools. The table in Attachment A identifies the small feed area (with

polygon numbers), the number of students in the feed, the percentage of the receiving school, and options for the Board’s consideration. Some options are further described in Attachment B. These options and comments only incorporate two of the fourteen policy considerations: feeds and capacity utilization. Additional time would be necessary for further evaluation of these options against all policy considerations.

There are essentially three types of redistricting solutions to fix a small feed: 1. Expand the higher level (receiving school) attendance area to receive more students from the lower level (sending school) 2. Reduce the size of the attendance area at the higher level (receiving school) to exclude the small feed from the lower level 3. Change the assignment of the lower level (sending school) to another existing school that feeds into the upper level

Since school assignments are based on geography, boundary adjustments are the only way to correct small feeds. Redistricting to fix feeds is complicated and may not align with the ultimate goals of the Board or promote the other standards in Policy 6010. In some cases, the best option to correct a small feed is to move a neighborhood into an adjacent school that may be over-crowded. This would necessitate additional boundary adjustments, moving other neighborhoods out to compensate for the additional enrollment. There are approximately 1,800 students in middle or high schools that live in geographies or small feeds now. Boundary adjustments to correct all of these feeds and follow the other standards in Policy 6010 may impact 3,000 to 4,000 students.

Address Small Feeds Opportunities Considerations

Students progress from grade to grade with Requires redistricting. larger groups of peers.

Feeder pattern is more predictable. Time to conduct hearings, work sessions, and adopt a plan by November 15th.

Satisfies Policy 6010 by addressing feeds May require compromise on other Policy that are less than 15%. 6010 standards.

Plans to address small feeds have not been reviewed by an AAC.

9 out of 20 small feeds are greater than 10%.

Many are in areas likely impacted by opening of HS #13 and ES #43. These neighborhoods could be impacted twice in 5 years.

May require large-scale redistricting to re-balance utilization.

Plans to address small feeds have not been viewed by the public.

Does not align with the stated goal of immediately reducing over-crowding at high schools.

Recommendation: Staff does not recommend pursuing redistricting to align small feeds for SY2019-20. At the meeting of September 20th, 2018, a motion to explore redistricting options for SY2019-20 failed. Redistricting to address small feeds does not align with the stated goal of immediately reducing over-crowding at high schools.

5. Provide information on development polygons

On September 20, 2018, the Board requested that staff resend the information regarding “development polygons.” Please see the below synopsis of previous discussions and timelines associated with this topic.

History/Background Student enrollment projections continue to show expected growth in overall countywide enrollment. New students can be yielded from a variety of factors, including but not limited to new housing development. The idea of creating “development polygons” splits existing polygons into polygons with existing housing and development polygons that currently have no housing (vacant lots). The purpose of creating the development polygons is to allow the Board flexibility to reassign the development polygons from their current school assignment and re-assigning them into schools with capacity before houses are built or students enroll.

Discussions regarding the splitting of polygons to differentiate new and existing development began during the 2017 boundary review process and were later detailed during the Board’s Committee on Redistricting. Specifically, the Board Redistricting

Committee discussed the process and implications of splitting polygons in order to isolate new residential developments from existing residential developments on April 4, April 18, and May 2, 2018 with School Planning and the Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) staff. [LINK - Board Redistricting Committee Minutes] The Board’s Committee on Redistricting concluded that it would not recommend the splitting of polygons into “development polygons” rather, it could be taken into a full Board consideration through a minor redistricting process. The subcommittee agreed that 1) this will require an in-depth analysis; and 2) prior to the analysis, the Board must provide direction regarding the specific parameters for the analysis.

Current Projection and Development Process The current process to assign new housing units to a school involves a DPZ request for a school determination for a proposed housing development. Based on the current school boundaries, proposed egress, and prior Board motions to change boundaries, schools are assigned and reported to the DPZ. Annually, the Office of School Planning presents the Feasibility Study to the Board, and when the Board decides to implement changes to boundaries, the boundary line review process begins. This process includes the Attendance Area Committee (advisory to the Superintendent), the Superintendent’s recommendation to the Board, and Board Work Sessions and Public Hearings, before the Board's approval of changes in school boundaries.

Unintended Consequence/Concerns with Development Polygons There are several concerns with redrawing polygon boundaries, including implications to Board policy and defining the process, Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) and operating costs. Some polygons have simple delineations between existing and future development areas, while others have new development that is interspersed and consist of one or two lots. This process will likely result in polygons that are non-contiguous, or have areas cut out (i.e., looks like swiss cheese or a donut) in order to isolate future growth areas, which could lead to non-contiguous, illogical attendance areas. Splitting pieces/phases of the same neighborhood that were developed over many years could decrease neighborhood continuity.

The Policy 6010 School Attendance Areas does not currently address development polygon reassignment. There are no definitions, parameters, requirements, or scope for the process. If development polygons are created, the Board needs to consider the process to change school boundaries for non-developed parcels in a different way. Direction from the Board should include at a minimum adjacency of school boundaries, feeds, timing of reassignment, recalculation of projections, APFO School Capacity Charts and transportation.

Reassigning development polygons has implications on the impact of the School Capacity Chart for the APFO. Future housing development is included in the student enrollment projections years in advance based on the DPZ’s housing projections. Those housing projections include new developments that have received allocations to build, those in process of requesting allocations, as well as projected allocations based on zoning, land use and the Howard County General Plan, PlanHoward 2030. Changing the school assignment for future housing beckons consideration of the development of a new student enrollment projection, so the associated students are appropriately included under the reassigned school. Moving those students may actually allow other development to continue or speed up in the affected areas. The APFO School Capacity Chart is typically presented to the Board in the Spring and the County Council in the Summer. The Council may or may not accept revised APFO charts if the Board makes changes throughout the year. APFO exists to slow growth in crowded schools and regions to allow for planning to address capacity issues. Moving proposed development to “open” schools permits the development to occur outside of the planning process.

Development Polygons Opportunities Considerations

Avoids enrollment growth at over-crowded Current boundary adjustment process takes schools. 8-9 months- County development review process would need adjustments to account for this delay.

Gives BOE ability to impact enrollment Neighborhoods built in phases could be split, growth when APFO isn’t restrictive enough. which does not align with Policy 6010.

Reduces impact of future student enrollment In places with infill development, neighboring from new development if development properties/parcels could go to different polygons are redistricted. schools.

Reassigning future development does not relieve schools currently over-utilized.

May not be an adjacent school with capacity for the new development, resulting in non-contiguous boundaries.

Would create more small feeds.

Could require bussing for multiple schools within same neighborhood or area, resulting in major transportation costs.

Any reassignment of polygons would trigger a new projection and APFO chart.

Other projects currently on hold at the sending school could move forward in the following year with an updated School Capacity Chart.

Would not meet stated goal of relieving existing overcrowding.

Timing of polygon reassignment may conflict with development review, APFO testing, enrollment projections.

Recommendation: Staff will continue to review and adjust planning polygons as needed, according to development pattern, and to accommodate the planning process. The creation of individual polygons for each development, as it occurs, is not recommended.

Attachment A

High School from Middle School To From % Enr. Students Other Feeders Polygons Description Options/Comments Wellington Ests, Hammond Park Add more AHS polygons to HMS (MHMS walk Hammond MS 12% 163 CMS, MHMS, WLMS 9,1009, 11, 1011, 2011, 1010, 10, 2010 area) Atholton HS Add 9, 1009 to AHS from RHS (reduces HMS to RHS feed); See Attachment B Guilford, Glen Oaks, Oakland Mills Rd Send to OMHS with the rest of LEMS; See Hammond HS Lake Elkhorn MS 12% 167 HMS, PVMS, TVMS 50, 1050, 2050, 48, 1048, 3048 Attachment B Howard HS Mayfield Woods MS 0.40% 9 BBMS, ELMS, EMMS 277 Send to EMMS (with 1074‐HoHS polygon) Golden Straw, Hayshed Ln, Tamar Dr Only option is to send to MWMS, overcrowds 264, 70, 1070, 2070, 69, 1069, 2069, 3069, 4069, 5069 Bonnie Branch MS 13% 226 MWMS Long Reach HS MWMS, TVMS Harwood Park, Hunt Club Rd, Brightfield Moved in 2017, all must go to HoHS or create MS 83, 1083, 43, 1043, 36 Elkridge Landing MS 9% 156 small feeds High Ridge, Tower Acres, Hammond Hills, Send (221, 1221, 2221, 7, 1007) to LKMS to 9, 1009, 221, 1221, 2221,7, 1007 Cardinal Forest eliminate feed ‐ LKMS out of target by 2022; See Reservoir HS Hammond MS 13% 192 LKMS, MHMS Attachment B 221, 1221, 2221, 7, 1007 Old Scaggsville Rd Send all to AHS (same projected util as RHS) Patuxent Valley MS 14% 218 267, 46, 3046, 2046, 1046, 12, 116, 1116, 260, 1260, 1, 1001 Whiskey Bottom, Laurel Park See Attachement B Wilde Lake HS Dunloggin MS 11% 156 HCMS, WLMS 276, 148, 302, 1148, 2148, 149, 271, 152, 1152 Dorsey's Search See Attachement B Middle School from Elemenetary School To From % Enr. Students Other Feeders Polygons Description Options Jeffers Hill ES 2% 16 261, 1261 Locust Park, Blue Pool Send to PLES Bonnie Branch MS IES, PLES, WtES Rockburn ES 5% 38 91, 3091 Royal Coachman Dr, N Landing Rd Send to IES The Oaks, Oak Green Cir, Send to VES (moved in 2014) or PMS; move more 172, 198, 199 Hollifield Station ES 7% 45 HSES polygons from PMS to DMS Dunloggin MS NES, VES Howards Ridge, Kaiser Park Send to PMS w/ rest of SJLES; add poly 72 form 106, 1106 St Johns Lane ES 13% 83 PMS to DMS; send to HSES or VES Thunder Hill ES 5% 30 111, 1111, 2111 Meadowbrook Park, Sybert Ave Send to NES (104%) Folly Quarter MS Clarksville ES 0% 1 BPES, DOES, TRES 1176 Rt 108 @32, 4 houses Send to CMS Lake Elkhorn MS Talbott Springs ES 7% 38 CrES, GES, JHES 52, 2051, 51, 1051, 279 Hopewell, Carved Stone Reassign to OMMS with the rest of TSES April Brook Circle, Sage Brush, Kendall Ridge Send to WtES and/or DRES (both ~92%), leaves Mayfield Woods MS Jeffer Hill ES 9% 69 BSES, DRES, WtES 1075, 2071, 71, 1071, 3071 loop area JHES under target Donleigh, Arrowhead, Belleview Dr, Carlinda Oakland Mills MS Atholton ES 9% 43 SFES, TSES, THES 56, 1056, 2056, 3056 Ave See Attachement B Patapsco MS Waverly ES 11% 81 HSES, SJLES 160, 1160, 1162, 162, 2161 MT Hebron, Gudel Dr, Thornbrook Rd Walk to MHHS, see attachement Bellows Spring ES 9% 59 Thomas Viaduct MS DLES, HHES Heritage Woods, Nordeau, Mission Rd, Rose Ln Send to LEMS with rest of Guilford; See 26, 1026, 27, 1027 Guilford ES 11% 72 Attachment B

Attachment B

AHS and RHS small feeds from HMS:

Option 1:

1. Add polygons 9, 1009 to AHS a. Makes AHS from HMS over 14% b. Decreases RHS from AHS to 10% 2. Send polygons 221, 1221, 7, 1007 from HMS to LKMS a. Eliminates RHS feed from HMS b. HMS under‐utilized c. LKMS exceeds target in 2022

Option 2:

1. Send polygons 221, 1221, 2221, 7, 1007, 9, 1009 to AHS a. Further from AHS than from RHS b. Eliminates RHS feed from HMS, while boosting AHS feed from HMS c. 192 additional students would raise utilization at AHS above 110% in 2019 d. RHS would be in target through 2022

Option 3:

1. Send polygons 10, 1010, 2010, 11, 1011, 2011 to HaHS from AHS a. HaHS already over target, with renovation planned b. Would require corresponding move from HaHS to RHS to balance i. Most logical area is 6, 1006, 5, 1005 (Wincopia Farms, Emerson West)

Guilford: TVMS from GES, HaHS from LEMS

Option 1:

1. Move polygons 50, 1050, 2050, 1048, 48, 3048 from HAHS to OMHS a. Removes small feed at HaHS from LEMS b. OMHS has capacity available; HaHS is above target c. All of LEMS would feed to OMHS 2. Move polygons 48, 1048 from LEMS to TVMS (also moving to OMHS) a. Increases TVMS from GES to >15% b. When paired with #1, creates new small feed at OMHS from TVMS

Option 2:

1. Do #1 and wait for ES #43 to fix the MS from ES feed. These neighborhoods would likely go to ES #43 at Mission Rd.

OMMS from AES

Option 1:

1. Send polygons 56, 1056, 2056, 3056 from OMMS to HMS AND OMHS to HaHS a. HaHS could have been relieved in the Guilford area feed adjustments b. HMS is in Target through 2024 2. Add polygons 57, 1057, 2057 MacGill’s Common to OMMS AND OMHS to strengthen the feed a. Could push to just over 15%

WLHS from DMS and DMS from THES

Option 1:

1. Send additional DMS polygons to WLHS to increase the feed a. Polygons likely added include the Sothern portions of Dunloggin neighborhood b. WLHS has capacity; CHS needs relief 2. Send polygons 111, 1111, 2111 to NES, which is feeder to DMS a. NES at 104% currently

Option 2:

1. Send polygons 111, 1111, 2111 to OMMS and OMHS (existing feed pattern)

Option 3:

1. Send Dorsey’s Search polygons to CHS with the larger DMS feed a. CHS does not have capacity for additional students

RHS from PVMS

Option 1:

1. Send polygons 267, 46, 3046, 2046, 1046, 12, 116, 1116, 260, 1260, 1, 1001 to Hammond HS a. HaHS may have relief from other small feed fixes, and has an addition planned for 2023 b. HaHS has a feed from PVMS already

Option 2:

1. Send polygons 267, 46, 3046, 2046, 1046, 12, 116, 1116, 260, 1260, 1, 1001 to MHMS

c. MHMS is at 113% utilization d. Creates two small feeds at MHMS from FRES and BBES

Option 3:

1. Add more PVMS polygons to RHS (Knights Bridge Rd, Stephens Rd)

e. RHS at 105% utilization f. Extends RHS attendance area into Savage ‐ further from the school

PMS from WvES

Walkers to MHHS

Option 1:

1. Send polygons 160, 1160, 1162, 162, 2161 to MVMS a. Combines with rest of WvES to MVMS b. Creates small feed at MHHS from MVMS i. Sending to MRHS fixes this but moves MHHS walkers

Option 2:

1. Send polygons 160, 1160, 1162, 162, 2161 to SJLES c. Moved from SJLES in 2013 d. SJLES at 115%

Option 3:

1. Add more WvES polygons to PMS (polygons 163, 1163, 165) e. PMS at 113% f. Would make new small feed at MRHS from PMS unless sent to MHHS also