The Rutherford County Board of Education has narrowed its study proposal for a rezoning plan that will affect future students at Rockvale, Riverdale, Blackman and Siegel High Schools.
The Board has been studying rezoning plans since November of last year and has held several public meetings to show the proposals and gather feedback.
According to the Rutherford County Schools, the proposal will allow existing students at those schools to remain. Therefore, the zoning changes will only apply to rising ninth-graders and new families who move into the zone after the plan is adopted.
The proposed plans would add students to one school, while decreasing the amount of students at another. It is a matter of deciding which schools need a decrease in their student population and which schools can handle an increase of students.
The board will also have to examine the area around each school to determine if new neighborhoods or apartments are in the process of being built. Calculating how many children are going to be in a future neighborhood is tough, but County School Board member Tammy Sharp told WGNS...
As an example, if developers in the potential school zone have already secured 3,000 permits for new homes, that adds up to 3,000 new students – if the math of 1.3-students per household proves true.
If the proposed zone changes are approved, they will begin in August.
Scroll down to see the decrease or increase of students
expected at each school involved in the proposed zone planning...
Continued - Proposed School Zone Changes in Rutherford County
Options 2 E, F, G, H - (Click here to see the proposed plan / map from the school board - 2E,2F, 2G, 2H)
Option 2 E: In looking at the proposed changes for the 2022-2023 school year, Riverdale would take on an additional 322 students, adding up to an enrollment of 2,151 students. Rockvale High School would decrease their enrollment by 178-students, which would equal a student body of 2,248 pupils . The plan would also increase student enrollment at Blackman High School by 254 new students, for an enrollment of 2,251 high schoolers. Siegel High would add 34-students to their count, which would equal a student population of 1,848 kids.
Option 2 F: Another proposed plan would increase the student population at Blackman by 195-students. Siegel would increase their student count by 148-teens. Riverdale would take on 322 new students and Rockvale would decrease their student population by 233 kids.
Option 2 G: In a third proposal, Blackman would see a decrease of 140 students, Siegel would increase their student body by 392 children while Rockvale decreases their student number by 142. In the third layout, Riverdale would increase enrollment by 322 students.
Option 2 H: A fourth option would increase Riverdale's count by 309 students and increase Rockvale's enrollment by 48-kids.
Option 2 I - (Click here to see the proposed plan / map from the school board - 2I)
Option 2 I: Another idea that is on the minds of school board members would increase student numbers by 60 at Siegel High and 89 additional students at Blackman. Rockvale High would see a student increase of 80 students. Riverdale would see an increase of 203 students under the school boards Option 2 I, while Rockvale would see an increase of 80-students.
This Thursday's meeting is open to the public and will be live-streamed on social media.
