This "transparency" which means the CAC and the consultant don't get relevant information is a problem. The redistricting plan can't be done in isolation; it has to be aligned with the construction and academic programming plans.
Now, UCPS is making major academic programming changes in the middle of the process and the CAC and consultant are not aware. At the Curriculum Committee Meeting on Tuesday, UCPS said they plan to extend the Language Immersion programs into the middle schools next year for those students who have been in the programs since Kindergarten. However, the programs are only going to be extended into certain middle schools.
Marvin (15 5th grade students), Shiloh (16 5th grade students), and SV Elem (15 5th grade students) will all have Language Immersion students age up to middle school next year. The plan is to teach Social Studies and Science in a foreign language in 6th and 7th grades and offer a language course in 8th grade that will give students 3 hours of high school credit. This would only be for students matriculating from the elementary programs. Classes sizes were originally 22 to 23 when students entered the program in Kindergarten but have fallen to 15 or 16 by 5th grade. We don't get teacher allotments to allow for classes of 15 or 16, hence UCPS's idea to combine elementary school Language Immersion students from neighboring clusters in one of the two middle schools.
So, in Year 1, Marvin would have Mandarin Language Immersion classes of around 15 students while Sun Valley Middle would have Spanish Language Immersion classes of around 30.
In Year 2, Kensington's Mandarin students would reach middle school as would Unionville's Spanish students. UCPS says they can't afford to have Language Immersion at Cuthbertson too, so Kensington students will have to transfer from Cuthbertson to Marvin Middle to stay in the program. UCPS says they are considering providing transportation.
In Year 2, UCPS also plans to create a Spanish Language Immersion Program at Piedmont Middle for the students moving up from Unionville.
In Year 3, Poplin Elementary Spanish Language Immersion students will reach middle school. UCPS currently plans to have them transfer over to Piedmont Middle from Porter Ridge Middle. If 15 to 20 students transfer to Piedmont Middle each year, the Language Immersion Program will have increased Piedmont Middle's enrollment by at least 45 to 60 students after three years. Maybe that doesn't sound like a lot but Piedmont Middle is our most crowded middle school up close to 100% of capacity in every option. Why would UCPS not just establish the program at Porter Ridge Middle which is never above 79% of capacity in any option and have Piedmont students transfer?
In Year 3, UCPS also plans to establish a program at Weddington Middle since Antioch and Weddington Elementary Spanish Language Immersion students will reach middle school.
In Year 3, Western Union Spanish Language Immersion students will also reach middle school but UCPS has no answer yet about what will happen to them. In some options Western Union may be a split feeder for Parkwood and Cuthbertson meaning Western Union's Language Immersion students would be split. UCPS already said they didn't plan to extend Language Immersion into Cuthbertson Middle, so I doubt they will extend it into Parkwood Middle for a small number of students. Is UCPS going to provide transportation all the way to Weddington or Marvin Middle for the students moving up from Western Union?
This is all ridiculous. UCPS can't have special programs for special schools if there is going to be this constant redistricting. All schools need to have the special programs or we need magnets. This doesn't work.
It particularly doesn't work when the people formulating the realignment plan haven't even been told about new academic programs that will effect student transfers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwhhtyOi5To