Schools will not all be under capacity. Without any changes, projected capacity utilization for 2027-28 ranges from 65% at Williamsburg to 112% at Gunston (p. A-108 or pdf p. 150). Moving students out of Gunston will have ripple effects in the other middle schools. Williamsburg is bounded by the walk zones to Hamm and Swanson.
This recommendation was made to address Gunston enrollment and to balance enrollment levels across middle schools to help ensure that every student has access to a safe, healthy, and similar learning environment. Please remember, the recommendation is not a boundary proposal but a concept of the principle of balanced enrollment.
Utilization impacts experience for students to have access to courses of choice, sports teams, drama performances and the like. None of the scenarios achieve parity but some approach a more even utilization thereby offering a more comparable middle school experience. That is not a quantifiable financial benefit.
Transportation Services will help evaluate the tradeoff with transportation. In addition, as the boundary policy is revised this year, the board may consider how to prioritize the boundary considerations.