Public schools zoning - how often rezoning happens? (Tampa, Boyette: chapel, new home)

[Tampaite]

We are in the market looking for new homes and am trying to understand how public school zoning or re-zoning works and their frequence of re-zoning.

We are looking for new homes and at couple of builders in the Wesley Chapel area(Estancia/Ridge/Meadow Pointe/Arbor Woods).

Heard that Arbor Woods/Seveal Oaks was re-zoned to Denham Oaks this year and parent's weren't happy about that.

Do we buy within few miles of existing elementary/middle/high schools so when they re-zone, chances are we won't be impacted?

We aren't in a hurry to buy since we have a 1-2 year timeframe but can move quicker if it means we lock down(location wise) on the school area.

Appreciate any insight.

[bentlebee]

As far as a I know, Seven Oaks is not going to be rezoned but please verify with the school board or County.

They will also tell you that no future guarantee will be provided to future rezoning for any schools.

Keep in mind that school choice may be implemented which creates a complete new way of how schools will be chosen for students.

[thelma123]

Originally Posted by bentlebee

As far as a I know, Seven Oaks is not going to be rezoned but please verify with the school board or County.

They will also tell you that no future guarantee will be provided to future rezoning for any schools.

Keep in mind that school choice may be implemented which creates a complete new way of how schools will be chosen for students.

Bentlebee, what do you mean by "school choice may be implemented?" They will allow people to choose any school they wish to attend? Why would thy do this?

[bobisinthehouse]

Here in the Tampa Bay area, every student has a choice to attend any school, inside the county they reside in. The only problems are.

you will have to apply asap, lots of parents try to get their kids into a specific school every year.

there is no school bus pickup/dropoff, if the school is very far from your home.

here is a website for Pasco

http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/ed_choice...e/registration

[Tampaite]

Originally Posted by bobisinthehouse

Here in the Tampa Bay area, every student has a choice to attend any school, inside the county they reside in. The only problems are.

you will have to apply asap, lots of parents try to get their kids into a specific school every year.

there is no school bus pickup/dropoff, if the school is very far from your home.

here is a website for Pasco

Pasco County Schools

Thanks for the link. that has been helpful and I will be checking it out.

[MortonR]

To clarify on the "choice" programs:

You have to apply in advance and be an in-state resident at the time. Moving into the state? Sorry, you're not eligible until you live here and establish residency

It's a lottery system which in Hillsborough County they won't explain what the criteria are for selection

If a school is at or near capacity, it will not be available for choice

You have to provide transportation

Once granted a choice assignment, it can be revoked for any number of reasons, such as an increase in the attendance zone enrollment, for example (the area the school serves)

Priority is typically given to school district employees and current students' family members

The really goofy thing is that people think they're going to get a choice assignment in a really good school, but those schools are often at or near capacity, taking them out of the program.

It's a part of the system and a way that school districts try to appear to be complying with the law. In reality it works poorly and rarely achieves what it was set out to do. It's easy to game if you're in the system.

RM

[EngGirl]

Pasco County School Board doesn't like to rezone often. They want to have elementary schools zoned for at least 5 years, middle for 3 and high for 4 years to have a full circle of graduation.
The easiest way to figure out is to check if new schools are planned. New School -> rezoning.


Sounds like Pasco County is looking for $$ to build new middle school in Wesley Chapel, next to Cypress Creek Middle/High, and once it's done - looks like Seven Oaks will be rezoned. When? Nobody knows. Some officials were talking about 3-5 time frame. Will it effect communities south of SR 56? Maybe and maybe not. It depends on numbers.
This year rezoning showed pretty high number of students both middle and high school ages living at Seven Oaks, so if numbers will remain the same doesn't look like new middle school (which might be built in 3-5 years) will be able to take any community south of SR 56.


Good news are all schools are pretty much equal and good.


As far as previous rezonings when parents were not happy about being rezoned from Seven Oaks Elementary to Denham Oaks, all that outcry was due to increase in commute time. If you look at the rating and test scores both schools are pretty close in performance.


As of School Choice - I wouldn't count much on it. First of all schools that are deemed frozen are closed for school choice option and it's pretty much impossible to get in. And all well rated schools are frozen... And even if school could be considered, you are not guaranteed anything. Ask me how I know. So, I personally wouldn't count on School Choice to begin with.


Good luck! There are plenty of nice new developments in the area!

[tinytrump]

Can't you go where you want now??

[MortonR]

Part of the problem with redistricting or rezoning is that there were areas like the west end of Fishhawk that weren't fully developed due to the financial crisis. In anticipation of that development at the time the School District built out schools to accommodate the anticipated development and the students that could come from it.

Barrington and Stowers were schools I was responsible for when I worked for the District, and they were well below full enrollment as a result of the situation. In order to get more "cheeks in the seats" and balance attendance at nearby schools with higher enrollments they expanded the attendance zones.

Fast forward 8 years. West side of Fishhawk is built out and more is coming on the fringes. Attendance at these schools is well above the design level. Families outside of the immediate area, such as the area around Bell Shoals and Boyette, don't want to be kicked out of these schools.

It's going to happen - the attendance zones need to be altered to cover the areas originally planned for these schools.

This is the typical situation when attendance zones or boundaries get changed. The real beauty of things now is that with census and GIS data being as detailed as it is, they can redistrict down to the individual properties. 10-15 years ago it was pretty much done on the back of an envelope.

RM

[Tampaite]

Originally Posted by EngGirl

As far as previous rezonings when parents were not happy about being rezoned from Seven Oaks Elementary to Denham Oaks, all that outcry was due to increase in commute time. If you look at the rating and test scores both schools are pretty close in performance.

Denham Oaks is rated 3/10 - how to tell the difference between a school with 3 rating vs 6 or even 10?

https://www.zillow.com/lutz-fl/schoo...y-school-4712/