My district does not enforce zoning. We have students from every end of the county at almost every school. Students are attending their “non-zone” school for many different reasons. Some parents feel that they are taking their child to a better school, others attend a school closer to the parents’ work, and some parents send their child to a school with a more preferred sports program. This has never seemed to cause a problem until recently.
One of our schools had trouble with overcrowding. The local school board considered enforcing zoning to help with the problem. However, it was decided to move the two pre-k classes at the school to a different location instead of enforce zoning.
I am not for enforcing zoning. I teach at a school that my children will not be zoned to attend. I would hate the thought of them attending a different school. Of course, some zoning does allow teachers’ children to attend the school at which the teacher works. I do not see a problem with children attending the parents’ choice of schools as long as the schools have sufficient room and the parents are willing to drive their child to school.
However, I do not think that children should be “trading” buses at different locations. This is not always safe. We had a kindergarten student last year that got off a bus at one school (which he was zoned to attend) and got on another bus to come to our school. The child often was confused and missed the bus to our school. That meant a staff member had to go pick him up at the zoned school and bring him to our school. I am also concerned at who is responsible for the child while he is waiting on the second bus.
Some related issues are now hot news in Nashville, Tennessee. The Williamson County Board of Education is planning changes for it’s zoning next year. The rezoning is due to the opening of two new schools. It is found that the Centennial High School Zone has limited growth. By moving areas from Sullivan Farms and Dallas Downs to the Centennial area, the students should be allowed to stay there for many years to come.
Parents have been invited to comment at meetings and email the Williams County Board of Education. One such comment that I have heard is that parents are upset about moving their child away from established friends at the schools where they presently attend. I can agree that it would be very difficult to trade schools during the middle of your high school career.
Why I Support School Choice Part 1
Why I Support School Choice Part 2
Why I Support School Choice Part 3