• REDISTRICTING PROCESS UPDATES

    CR Redistricting Process Update: November 6

    The Redistricting Committee met last evening, Monday, November 5, 2018, to review community feedback collected from the most recent update to the proposed redistricting plan. The Committee also reviewed the six recent revisions made to the updated proposal. These revisions included the following:  
     
    1. Holland Elementary and Hillcrest Elementary Schools sending areas (reducing impact)
    2. Newtown Elementary and Goodnoe Elementary Schools sending areas (reducing impact)
    3. The geographic location near Tanyard Road, Hatboro Road and Routes 232 and Almshouse Road
    4. The geographic location near Twining Ford Road
    5. The geographic location along Worthington Mill Road and the southern section of Wrightstown Road
    6. The geographic location near Hatboro Road, Almshouse Road and Spencer Road.
     
    The majority of the Committee voted to keep the above six revisions in place. As a result, the November 2018 Updated Proposed Plan will be recommended to the Board at their next meeting on Thursday, November 15, 2018. A formal vote is scheduled to occur on Thursday, December 13, 2018, as part of a Special Board Meeting for Redistricting.  Community members are advised that the Redistricting Email Center remains open, and feedback continues to be welcome.

    CR Redistricting Process Update: October 26

    On Tuesday, October 23, 2018, the Redistricting Committee met to review feedback from the October 1st public session and the community survey. They reviewed the information and worked with demographer, Cropper GIS, to consider and examine revisions to the proposal presented on October 1st. The committee will continue some additional analysis next week at a closed meeting on Tuesday, October 30, 2018. We anticipate releasing the updated proposal as well as a survey link to gather feedback sometime after October 30th. The Redistricting Committee will meet on Monday, November 5th to review additional public feedback and make any necessary revisions to the proposal before it is presented to the Board on November 15th at the regular Board meeting.

    CRSD Redistricting Process Update: September 19

    On September 17, 2018, the CR Redistricting Committee reconvened after being on break since February 6, 2018. It should be noted that two individuals from the original Committee stepped away from their positions during this break period and were replaced with new Committee members, ensuring that the Committee continues to have two representatives from each CR school. Please see the CR Redistricting Hub Committee Member section for a revised Committee Member list. 

    At the Monday, September 17 meeting, the Committee worked with the district's new demographer, Cropper GIS Consulting, to review Cropper's April 2018 demographic study. This demographic study was publicly presented to the Board of School Directors at a Special Board Meeting on May 24, 2018. The Committee related information from that study to their previous work and agreed upon revised boundary modifications. Such modifications are now being utilized by Cropper to develop a revised redistricting proposal. The revised proposal will be publicly presented for community feedback at the upcoming October 1 Redistricting Process Public Meeting. The revised proposal with related maps will be posted to the CR website for community review by Tuesday, September 25.
     
    CRSD Redistricting Process Update: February 22

    At the February 15, 2018, School Board meeting, critical decisions were made concerning redistricting. The CRSD Office of Community Relations developed a Board Brief on Thursday, February 16th that recapped such decisions. As CRSD Redistricting Committee Chairs, we wanted to underscore information communicated.  

    First, we would like to once again thank the CRSD Redistricting Committee for their efforts to date. Since October 3, 2017, Committee members have volunteered at least 26 hours of personal time to work collaboratively on a proposed redistricting plan. Each member also attended the January 11, 2018, Redistricting Community Forum as a facilitator and has spent numerous independent hours reviewing and processing data compiled by either CRSD Administration or Sundance Associates.

    As CRSD Redistricting Committee Chairs, we have been working side-by-side with the CRSD Redistricting Committee since they first convened in October 2017. Months ago, we, as Committee Chairs, set late February as a critical date for redistricting plan completion. At the February 6, 2018 meeting of the CRSD Redistricting Committee, it was fully realized that a February deadline would be impossible to reach. While the Committee was honing in on a revised, proposed plan, there would not be ample time to communicate and hold a second forum with an adequate window for community feedback by late February.

    With the above factors in mind and on behalf of the Committee, the Administration, at the February 15, 2018 Board Meeting, requested additional time from the Board and asked them to consider keeping the present 6th graders in their current sending pattern through graduation. After hearing multiple rounds of public comment and partaking in detailed discussion, the Board passed a motion to maintain current 6th-grade sending patterns as stated above. Per the motion, redistricting is now projected to begin in September 2019 for grades K-6.

    In an effort to help refine the redistricting process through additional data, the Board also passed a motion directing Administration to seek proposals for the completion of an additional demographic study. Professional demographers are currently being contacted and Administration will present independent demographic study proposals on March 8, 2018, as part of the Public Facilities Committee Meeting.  The next CRSD Redistricting Committee is to be determined and will be communicated once a new demographic study is developed.

    We wish to thank the CRSD community for your ongoing patience and support as we continue to engage in this important work.

    Barry J. Desko                                                                     Susan K. Elliott, Ed.D.

    Director of K-12 Education                                               Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning

    CRSD Redistricting Process Update: February 8

    The CRSD Redistricting Committee most recently met on Tuesday, February 6 at 7 PM. Group discussion, which lasted until approximately 9 PM, revolved around boundary map adjustments made during the Committee’s previous two work sessions. In addition to closely examining recent boundary modifications, the Committee also continued to closely analyze their revised, proposed redistricting map concept in relation to actual and projected student enrollment numbers and building capacities. Committee members and chairs will meet again on Tuesday, February 13 (MEETING CANCELLED!)

    CRSD Redistricting Process Update: January 31

    The CRSD Redistricting Committee met on Tuesday, January 30th from 7 PM until approximately 9 PM to analyze most recent versions of revised boundary maps. Committee discussion led to the group focusing in on a single concept, with general agreement that this concept requires some additional examination. As a result, the Committee will meet Tuesday, February 6th for another work session. The administration is still accepting, reviewing, and sharing community feedback with the CRSD Redistricting Committee. Community members are invited to continue to send redistricting suggestions and questions to redistricting@crsd.org. 

    CRSD Redistricting Process Update: January 24

    The CRSD Redistricting Committee most recently convened as a group at 7 PM on Tuesday, January 16th and 7 PM on Tuesday, January 23rd. At their January 16th meeting, Committee members reviewed two revised redistricting maps that incorporated community feedback. These new maps were analyzed in comparison to the January 11th proposed map, still under consideration. Before closing their session at approximately 9:30 PM, the Committee requested some revisions to these maps be developed for additional analysis and comparison. On Tuesday, January 23rd, the Committee discussed the pros and cons of these maps in an effort to reach consensus on a concept. The meeting ended at approximately 10:30 PM, with the Committee agreeing to meet next Tuesday, January 30th to continue their work. The district will continue to communicate and post information via the district Listserv and Redistricting Hub. All other communications and documents developed from outside sources that may appear publicly should not be considered official district information. 

    CRSD Redistricting Process Update: January 16th

    We wish to thank everyone who has submitted suggestions and or questions to date regarding the redistricting process.  As Committee Chairs, we have reviewed all information sent to redistricting@crsd.org along with Dr. Robert Fraser and all members of the CRSD Board of School Directors. Having read your feedback, we wanted to communicate some important information. First, please be advised that the Thursday, January 18th meeting of the Board of School Directors includes three opportunities for Public Comment. The first opportunity, listed as Item 2F on the AGENDA, is for agenda items only and will be followed by regular Board business which includes a Consent Agenda and Items for Board Approval. Community members who wish to comment on general, non-agenda items can do so during the Public Comment section listed as Item #6 on the agenda or during the Public Comment section listed as Item #9 on the agenda. As the CRSD Redistricting Committee has agreed to continue its work, we wanted to take time to address questions. All members of the community were invited to join the Committee, and we regret that not every geographic part of our community is represented in the volunteer work group. Having interacted closely with our Redistricting Committee since October, we can assure the community that good and honest work has been done. Please know that Committee discussion has and will continue to take into account the entirety of our District and long-term needs of Council Rock. Also, know that the Committee collectively sought to achieve enrollment balance while affecting the smallest number of students. Those who serve on the Committee accepted a great challenge. They have given up much personal time, with many facing a great deal of criticism. We wish to underscore the fact that the partnership between the District and Committee remains one of good faith and will stay as such until the Committee completes its important task. With the above noted, the Committee will meet again this evening; future meeting dates will be based on necessity and are still to be determined. The Committee did meet directly following the January 11th breakout sessions to share individual room conversations that took place. Tonight, the Committee will review feedback recorded from the January 11th Redistricting Forum breakouts. They will also review additional boundary scenarios and possible moves. We are in the process of organizing redistricting@crsd.org input sent to us since January 3rd and will share such information with the Committee at their next meeting. Lastly, it should be noted that the CRSD Redistricting Committee does not discuss grandfathering.  The REDISTRICTING HUB has been updated today with a table that shows elementary proposed redistricting movement by school and grade as represented in the boundary map shared on both January 9th and January 11th. Numbers are subject to change based on ongoing Committee work. As a reminder, the Committee will not present a proposed redistricting plan to the Board this Thursday, January 18th. Also, the Board will not meet to vote on a proposed plan on January 25th as previously communicated. We will communicate future dates that pertain to the redistricting process as they become available. We wish to thank the CRSD community once again for engaging in this important work and look forward to providing future updates on the redistricting process. 

    Barry J. Desko                                                                 Susan K. Elliott, Ed.D.

    Director of K-12 Education                                               Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning

    CRSD Redistricting Process Update: December 21st

    The CRSD Redistricting Committee most recently met on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 to continue their detailed examination of redistricting maps showing geographic boundary line options. After hours of analysis and discussion, the Committee unanimously decided that it requires one more session to finalize a proposed redistricting plan. The Committee will meet the first week of January for another work session. The Redistricting Community Forum previously scheduled for January 3, 2018 is now rescheduled for Thursday, January 11, 2018. The location and start time remain the same; Council Rock South at 7 PM.

    CRSD Redistricting Process Update: December 15th

    At the December 12th Redistricting Committee Meeting, members worked collectively to closely analyze most recently revised boundary maps presented by Sundance Associates. The Committee continued to examine and discuss a redistricting concept that sees student movement to balance enrollment across all elementary schools. Committee discussions also included the pros and cons of contiguous catchment areas. The Committee will meet again on December 19th to continue their analysis of these topics. Their proposed redistricting plan will be presented publicly on January 3rd at the Redistricting Community Forum, to be held at 7 PM at Council Rock South High School.

    CRSD Redistricting Process Update: December 7th

    The Redistricting Committee, which is now meeting on a weekly basis, came together on Tuesday, December 5th. The Committee continued to review population density maps, enrollment numbers, and neighborhood boundary lines to develop a balanced redistricting plan with an ideal percentage of the student movement. The Committee will meet again on December 12th and December 19th to continue this work. A Redistricting Community Forum has been scheduled for Wednesday, January 3, 2018. The Forum will be open to the public and will take place at Council Rock High School South with a start time of 7 PM. The evening will include a formal redistricting presentation with opportunity for community interaction and feedback via breakout groups. Your input is critical to the Committee’s continued work. We invite you to submit suggestions and/or questions relative to redistricting by sending an email to redistricting@crsd.org. Questions submitted may be used as part of a CRSD Redistricting FAQ document to be developed by the Office of Community Relations and updated regularly for the benefit of our community at large.  FAQ document questions will appear without the names of those who submitted them, and all submitted suggestions and questions will appear without names when reviewed by the Redistricting Committee. Thank you in advance for collaborating with the School District on this important matter. We look forward to receiving your input at redistricting@crsd.org.

    CRSD Redistricting Process Community Update: November 30th

    As part of the District’s Master Capital Plan, a Redistricting Committee, comprised of volunteer participants from each CRSD school and Council Rock Central Office representatives (Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Robert Fraser; Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, Dr. Sue Elliott; Director of K-12 Education, Mr. Barry Desko; Director of Business Administration, Mr. Robert Reinhart; and Supervisor of Pupil Transportation, Mr. Andrew Ro) have started the challenging work of examining current school boundary lines in order to achieve more balanced enrollment across the District.The Redistricting Committee, which is now meeting on a weekly basis, most recently came together on Tuesday, November 28th to review updated enrollment information from Sundance Associates that includes both residential permits (new housing development) data and residential sales (home re-sale) data. At this meeting, the Committee also closely examined a population density map of the District to better understand the enrollment imbalance that is driving redistricting needs. Your input is critical to the Committee’s work. We invite you to submit suggestions and/or questions relative to redistricting by sending an email to redistricting@crsd.org. Questions submitted may be used as part of a CRSD Redistricting FAQ document to be developed by the Office of Community Relations and updated regularly for the benefit of our community at large.  FAQ document questions will appear without the names of those who submitted them, and all submitted suggestions and questions will appear without names when reviewed by the Redistricting Committee. Council Rock School District will hold a Redistricting Community Forum in January to share Committee findings accumulated, convey any redistricting plans that have taken shape, and solicit direct feedback from community members. The date, time, and location of this meeting will be widely communicated, with an event notification posted on the district website. This meeting will be open to the public. Thank you in advance for collaborating with the School District on this important matter. We look forward to receiving your input at redistricting@crsd.org.