On Monday, March 7, the Hoover school board will vote on a rezoning plan that redistributes about 2,200 Hoover students to different schools. WBHM’s Sherrel Wheeler Stewart talked to Hoover Sun reporter Jon Anderson about the rezoning proposal, submitted by Superintendent Kathy Murphy.
“The recommendation is for these changes to take effect for the next school year, 2016-17,” says Anderson. “Assuming the School board approves the plan, then it will go to the federal court for consideration.”
How Did We Get Here?
“It really goes back to about 12 years ago,” says Anderson. “The Hoover school system did some major rezoning. They did a lot of shifting in regard to their apartment complexes, trying to redistribute students based more on race and income levels, to try to spread that population out among the schools and get more integrated schools. Now they’ve come back within the last couple of years and have tried to restart this rezoning process, partially in an effort to undo the zoning that was done 12 years ago,” Anderson explains.
What Schools or Communities Are Primarily Affected by This New Rezoning Plan?
“Every school and community (in Hoover) will be affected,” Anderson says. “There were a number in the most recent changes, where they were upset about being pulled away from what they consider their community schools. There were a lot of protests at some of the community meetings that the Hoover school system held, so come changes were made to try to keep some of those communities intact,” says Anderson. In particular, Anderson says the Preserve community at Gwin Elementary and Trace Crossings community are being held together based on community feedback. “There’s another community called Chase Lake that attends Riverchase Elementary that will be left intact. Initially they had been scheduled to go to a different school – Rocky Ridge Elementary,” Anderson reports.
Who’s Hit the Hardest?
“The biggest impact is going to be at the elementary level,” explains Anderson. “The superintendent has recommended grandfathering some kids in. Those who are in the 8th through 11th grade this year would continue on the high school track they had intended to or are currently attending.”
Jon Anderson also reports the Hoover School Board will vote tonight on rezoning 273 acres to prevent apartments along I-459.
HCS Student Attendance Plan March 3, 2016