Westport BOE considers redistricting for 2024 or 2025

WESTPORT — The school district is in its early steps of discussing redistricting, including the guiding principals to make the decision and when it should be implemented if that’s the approach chosen.

For months, the Board of Education has discussed the possibility of redistricting, particularly to address the large number of students at Long Lots Elementary School.

Superintendent Thomas Scarice told the board he views it as a threephase process, first establishing goals based on guiding criteria from other districts, then planning the development and finally implementing the plan.

“I really think that for a September plan to be implemented, every detail has to be decided and voted on and determined by, I’d say, November of the prior year,” Scarice said at the recent meeting.

Scarice said they have about a year to establish goals and guiding criteria, as they will have more information about renovations or rebuilds for Long Lots and Coleytown elementary schools.

He said that timing is necessary, as there are many operational considerations that need to be worked out during those months, such as staff and student transitions. Community feedback will also be included in the process.

He added the board’s work should be done by November 2024 for the redistricting to be implemented by September 2025.

Scarice said the redistricting would affect the five elementary schools and two middle schools “with an equitable distribution of resources across those,” aligning with the projected enrollments and capacity of each school over about eight years.

“We certainly want the least amount, from my perspective, of students redistricting as possible,” Scarice said.

Board of Education Chair Lee Goldstein brought up the possibility of concentrating on reducing the amount of students at the most densely populated schools, rather than the feeder systems to each middle school, asking if it would speed up the process at all.

Scarice said there would be less “operational considerations,” and it could be accomplished with a phase-in approach, though he has not experienced it before.

Board Secretary Neil Phillips said they should look at the elementary and middle schools at the same time, with member Dorie Hordon agreeing.

Board members and Scarice also discussed the enrollment at each school, noting that Long Lots and Coleytown elementary schools are overpopulated and Saugatuck Elementary School is underpopulated.

Scarice said he believes 600 students at an elementary school is large, but it can be done, depending on the size of the building. He said it could be possible if a new building is built for Long Lots.

He said the board could recommend multiple scenarios, including a primary recommendation and a derivative of that, but he does not believe it serves the community well to have too many options.

Scarice said he hopes to organize a group in April to conduct research over the summer and present its findings about redistricting around October.

As in past discussions, the idea of a fall 2024 implementation came forth.

Scarice said he does not recommend that, but the board can vote on it.

“I think if we just want to de-densify Long Lots, we could do that by 2024,” Goldstein said. “I, as one board member think that balancing the middle schools as part of that is a really important thing, too.”

Board member Christina Torres said she used to be open to the idea of redistricting for 2024, but after hearing the recommended phases and evidence, she does not think it should be done.

Board member Robert Harrington said that September 2025 is 30 months away, and that feels slow to him.

“I would hope there’s an opportunity to do a careful, thought out plan without having to wait 30 months before we see the first shifting of imbalances in our school system,” he said.

Scarice said redistricting would either have to be implemented September 2024 or September 2025 because of the way a school year works.

“We’re not going to do it mid-year,” he said.

The Board of Education is set to talk more about redistricting and the Long Lots Elementary School capacity study on March 20.