Background Information

Setting any speculation or rumors aside, here are some things that are general knowledge about potential rezoning, based on publicly available school board meetings and documents.

1) FCPS updated policy 8130 with the intent of introducing and reviewing county-wide rezoning, every 5 years, to up to 15% of a school population, in an expedited manner, by superintendent decree instead of 5% of a school, as needed, by school board vote. A 15% threshold is the population contribution of any elementary school feeder to any high school in the district, including all WSHS feeder elementary schools.

2) CIP estimates show a significant and sudden increase in projected enrollment at Irving and WSHS over the next 2-5 years.

3) The increase shown in the CIP estimates does not correspond to historic growth patterns traditionally seen at WSHS and Irving, nor does it match the growth patterns shown in the CIP of the feeder elementary schools as a whole.

4) Based on the 8130 policy revisions and CIP estimated projections, WSHS and Irving are very likely to be rezoned in 2025 or 2026.

5) At meetings and work sessions, the school board indicated that rezoning will happen very quickly after approval of the 8130 revisions, ideally Fall 2025, or Fall 2026 at the latest.

6) At meetings and work sessions, the school board indicated multiple times a preference of balancing over enrolled, higher performing schools with nice facilities neaby to under enrolled, lower performing schools with older facilities.

7) At meetings and in the policy revisions, the school board expressed a goal of no split feeders. This indicates that if there is rezoning at the middle school or high school level, an entire elementary school will be rezoned, rather than simply one neighborhood (such as just Daventry, or just the Gambrill neighborhoods).

The school board voted against grandfathering, including our school board rep Sandy Anderson. There was a proposal by several school board members to allow grandfathering for any student to stay at their current school through the entire term. Anderson voted against this provision. Her letter indicates that she supports students staying at their current school, but her vote clearly shows the opposite.