Cobb County Schools--Over/Under Capacity in year 2013: Redistricting in the not-too-far future? (Atlanta: home, transfer)

[aries4118]

Cobb County Schools: Over/Under Capacity in year 2013


Interesting...take a look:


http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice...nderMaxCap.pdf


http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice...nderMaxCap.pdf


http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice...nderMaxCap.pdf








*I think they may build another high school in the Northwest part of the county.

*It will be interesting to see how they address a lot of undercapacity in most of East Cobb (Lassiter, Sprayberry, Pope, Kell, Mabry Middle, and several elementary schools), with a lot of overcapacity in West Cobb, South Cobb, and North Cobb.

*I have a lot of ideas/scenarios--I'll wait a bit before I comment more.



Cobb Countians, Those-Who-Know-About-Education/Schools, and Demographic/Geography People...

Thoughts, opinions, comments?

[RainyRainyDay]

I wouldn't describe myself as particularly knowledgeable, but I find this interesting because we live in the Garrison Mill/Mabry/Lassiter zone which seems to show creeping undercapacity at all levels.

I presume this is all part of the natural life cycle of residential neighborhoods in which over time, a predominance of young families becomes a predominance of older families, then empty-nesters until eventually the cycle begins again with a new wave of young families moving in. But the cycle isn't inevitable. The neighborhood may stay for a long time at a certain demographic mix, or succumb to blight, or redevelopment may occur.

Looking at the maps, one idea that seems obvious is that overcapacity at Simpson middle and undercapacity at adjacent Mabry could be addressed by expanding Mabry's attendance zone to align with Lassiter high school's zone, along the southern edge. Currently there's a strip along the north side of Shallowford Rd that's zoned to Simpson MS and Lassiter HS. Rezoning that area to Mabry MS would likely balance the middle school populations better and reduce the splitting of the Simpson population to different high schools.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

I wouldn't describe myself as particularly knowledgeable, but I find this interesting because we live in the Garrison Mill/Mabry/Lassiter zone which seems to show creeping undercapacity at all levels.

I presume this is all part of the natural life cycle of residential neighborhoods in which over time, a predominance of young families becomes a predominance of older families, then empty-nesters until eventually the cycle begins again with a new wave of young families moving in. But the cycle isn't inevitable. The neighborhood may stay for a long time at a certain demographic mix, or succumb to blight, or redevelopment may occur.

Looking at the maps, one idea that seems obvious is that overcapacity at Simpson middle and undercapacity at adjacent Mabry could be addressed by expanding Mabry's attendance zone to align with Lassiter high school's zone, along the southern edge. Currently there's a strip along the north side of Shallowford Rd that's zoned to Simpson MS and Lassiter HS. Rezoning that area to Mabry MS would likely balance the middle school populations better and reduce the splitting of the Simpson population to different high schools.

Good points, Rainy. Neighborhoods do go through cycles. I know the neighborhood I grew up in (off of Davis Road--Mountain View/Hightower Trail/Pope), has gone through cycles...it is known for being kid/family friendly...so the "kid/student" factor always replinishes. However, nothing has been ever been as high as the kid level was in the late 80's in my former neighborhood.
In East Cobb, I think the neighborhoods that recycle/replenish with families are the ones with swim/tennis facilities. This is one reason why East Side Elementary is overcapacity due to the replenishing/rebirth of Indian Hills in the late 90's/early 2000's (Indian Hills's down cycle was the early to mid 90's).

Moreover, Simpson presently feeds 60% Lassiter, 40% Sprayberry (roughly). Simpson will always be linked to Lassiter due to Northampton...the neighborhoods connects the two schools. So, Simpson will never be able to be a full Sprayberry feed.

I think Cobb County is going to need to start at a clean slate--many act as if the school boundaries are mini-Berlin Walls or something that are permanently fixed. It will be very controversial, but it will need to be done.

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by aries4118

I think Cobb County is going to need to start at a clean slate--many act as if the school boundaries are mini-Berlin Walls or something that are permanently fixed. It will be very controversial, but it will need to be done.

Would that ever be controversial. There seems to be a strong opinion on the part of some, that Walton is vastly superior to the neighboring schools. You and I don't buy this notion, but I expect there would be an uproar if part of Walton was rezoned to Pope, let alone Sprayberry!

I can probably be grateful that my only child is class of 2012. We'll probably be little or not at all affected by this approaching storm.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

Would that ever be controversial. There seems to be a strong opinion on the part of some, that Walton is vastly superior to the neighboring schools. You and I don't buy this notion, but I expect there would be an uproar if part of Walton was rezoned to Pope, let alone Sprayberry!

I can probably be grateful that my only child is class of 2012. We'll probably be little or not at all affected by this approaching storm.

You are so right about how some think of Walton. Significant parts of the Walton district could (and should) be redistricted to Sprayberry. The Chestnut Springs neighborhood should be Sprayberry--it's kind of crazy that it is not...

Chestnut Springs attends Kincaid Elementary. Kincaid Elementary students then go on to feed into Simpson Middle/Sprayberry High or Daniell Middle/Sprayberry High. Chestnut Springs is the only neighborhood at Kincaid that is zoned for Dodgen Middle/Walton High. It should be rezoned to the Simpson/Sprayberry cluster just like all of the other neighborhoods off of East Piedmont Road (Chestnut Springs's other entrance is off of lower Holly Springs Road--the narrow connection to the Walton district). Simpson could then send a few neighborhoods to help fill up Mabry (this is just one possibility).


So Rainy...after 2012...will y'all move? Intown Atlanta? Back to BC? You'd love many parts of inner Atlanta...

[RainyRainyDay]

Thanks for asking. I suspect we'll be hanging about to take advantage of the Hope scholarship, since daughter currently aspires to study engineering at Georgia Tech. I have the impression you have to maintain a family home in-state...? Anyway, I doubt we'd want to be too hasty to rush out of state if our offspring is attending college here.

Beyond that, much depends on family finances....

[KevK]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Cobb County Schools: Over/Under Capacity in year 2013


Interesting...take a look:


http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice...nderMaxCap.pdf


http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice...nderMaxCap.pdf


http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice...nderMaxCap.pdf


*I think they may build another high school in the Northwest part of the county.

*It will be interesting to see how they address a lot of undercapacity in most of East Cobb (Lassiter, Sprayberry, Pope, Kell, Mabry Middle, and several elementary schools), with a lot of overcapacity in West Cobb, South Cobb, and North Cobb.

*I have a lot of ideas/scenarios--I'll wait a bit before I comment more.



Cobb Countians, Those-Who-Know-About-Education/Schools, and Demographic/Geography People...

Thoughts, opinions, comments?

They will do like they always do and wait to see which schools in south Cobb fail AYP and then offer transfers to the under capacity schools in north and east cobb to the students of the schools that fail AYP. That is how Cobb always balances schools. That is what made my daughter able to attend McEachern even though we live in Campbell district.

[techugagrad]

Originally Posted by KevK

They will do like they always do and wait to see which schools in south Cobb fail AYP and then offer transfers to the under capacity schools in north and east cobb to the students of the schools that fail AYP. That is how Cobb always balances schools. That is what made my daughter able to attend McEachern even though we live in Campbell district.

Isn't Campbell better than McEachern now?

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by KevK

They will do like they always do and wait to see which schools in south Cobb fail AYP and then offer transfers to the under capacity schools in north and east cobb to the students of the schools that fail AYP. That is how Cobb always balances schools. That is what made my daughter able to attend McEachern even though we live in Campbell district.

KevK,

This over/undercapacity is beyond the AYP/NCLB situation and the transfers--it already takes place.

The over/under numbers given go well beyond transfer amounts.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by techugagrad

Isn't Campbell better than McEachern now?

They're both good.