Student Assignment and School Choice

Rea Farms Relief

Community Update
May 9

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 Situation Analysis – 2013 and 2017 Bond

Rea Farms School is the final project on the 2013 bond.

The project was included in the bond based on projected growth in the area
and community feedback regarding access to magnet programs.

The project is described as both a magnet school, and as providing relief for a
specified set of schools – Jay M. Robinson and Community House middle
schools and their elementary feeder schools.

The project was defined as a K-8 school. The school design includes 54
classrooms, a full gymnasium and a soccer field.

Two projects on the 2017 bond also respond to the growth in south
Charlotte. A new elementary school as well as a new high school will open in
2023.

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Situation Analysis – Current Utilization, 5-Year Growth

Most schools in the Jay M. Robinson Middle and Community House Middle
feeder areas exceed 100% utilization on at least 2 of 3 metrics with McAlpine
Elementary and McKee Road Elementary in the Jay M. Robinson feeder area
as exceptions.

5-Year Projected Growth*

5-10 11-13 14-17
Area
Year Olds Year Olds Year Olds
Ardrey Kell Attendance Area 369 70 325
Census Block Groups immediately
126 74 126
surrounding Rea Farms School site**

Providence High School Attendance Area 71 2 195

* - data gleaned from ESRI Business Analyst, a national database aggregating developer projections,
Metrostudy information, DMV statistics, and Census data
** - the growth for this area is a subset of (i.e., included in, not additive to) the growth in the Ardrey
Kell attendance area 3
 Attendance Boundary Requirements
(Board of Education Policy JCA)

The Board requires that each school’s attendance boundary be contiguous

(i.e., contained within an unbroken line).

The Board also articulates four priorities for all student assignment decisions

• home to school distance

• intact feeder patterns

• school utilization

• socioeconomic diversity

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 Five Scenarios

Input gathered over the course of community engagement to date informed

5 scenarios:
• K-8 school with a home school boundary only; no choice seats
• K-8 school with a home school boundary and choice / magnet seats
• K-8 school with choice seats only; no home school boundary
• Middle school with a home school boundary only; no choice seats
• Temporary middle school to be replaced by a new middle school near
Ardrey Kell High School

The Superintendent and staff will narrow these scenarios to a single

recommendation to be presented to the Board for a vote on June 4.
The Superintendent’s recommendation to the Board will:
• meet the Board’s requirements and priorities for student assignment
• address utilization, the most pressing need in south Charlotte
• respond, as best possible, to community input 5
 Ongoing Opportunities to Provide Feedback

May 3 9:30am Community House

May 8 4:15pm McKee Road / Providence Spring
(@ McKee Road)
May 8 4:40pm Hawk Ridge
May 9 6pm Jay M. Robinson, Community House and all Elementary Feeders
(@Providence HS)
May 10 8:30am Jay M. Robinson
May 10 9am Elon Park
May 13 6pm Polo Ridge
May 14 6pm Board Meeting
May 16 3:30pm Endhaven
May 23 6:30pm Jay M. Robinson, Community House and all Elementary Feeders (@ Jay
M. Robinson)
June 4 6pm Board Meeting - Public Hearing, Vote
Following this evening’s meeting, principals will send a copy of this presentation along with
a link to an updated survey to all families within their schools. 6
Scenario A:
K-8 with home school seats only

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 Scenario A: K-8 School with Home School Boundary
Only; No Choice Seats
Current Assignment New Assignment Effect

McKee Road Elementary west ES: McKee Road ES: Rea Farms Creates the home school
of Tilley Morris Road and south MS: Jay M. Robinson MS: Rea Farms attendance area for Rea Farms K-
of I-485 HS: Providence HS: Providence 8; creates capacity at Jay M.
Robinson Middle
Polo Ridge, roughly east of
ES: Polo Ridge ES: Rea Farms
Cornhill Avenue, south of Creates capacity at McKee Road
MS: Jay M. Robinson MS: Rea Farms
Ardrey Kell Road and north of for potential pairing with
HS: Ardrey Kell HS: Ardrey Kell
Golf Links Drive Providence Spring Elementary

ES: Hawk Ridge ES: Polo Ridge

Hawk Ridge Elementary, east Relieves Hawk Ridge and
MS: Community House MS: Jay M. Robinson
of Blakeney Heath Road Community House
HS: Ardrey Kell HS: Ardrey Kell

ES: Hawk Ridge ES: Hawk Ridge

Hawk Ridge Elementary north
MS: Community House MS: Jay M. Robinson Relieves Community House
of Bryant Farms Road
HS: Ardrey Kell HS: Ardrey Kell

ES: McAlpine ES: McAlpine Ensures contiguous boundary;

McAlpine Elementary, south of
MS: South Charlotte MS: Jay M. Robinson increases number of McAlpine
I-485
HS: South Mecklenburg HS: Providence students continuing to Robinson

Endhaven Elementary, portion ES: Endhaven ES: Endhaven

which continues to Community MS: Community House MS: Jay M. Robinson Relieves Community House
House HS: Ardrey Kell HS: Ardrey Kell 8
Scenario A: - K-8 School with Home School Boundary
Only; No Choice Seats

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 Scenario A: K-8 School with Home School Boundary
Only; No Choice Seats
Board Priority Scenario Effect Detail
• Improves middle school home to school distance for
most McKee Road students
Home to
• Increase in distance for some students whose middle
School (+ / -)
school changes from Community House to Jay M.
Distance Robinson; Adds 1.2 miles for students at far west end of
Endhaven attendance area (Ballantyne Meadows Drive)
Intact Feeder
(-) • Introduces a split feed at Hawk Ridge Elementary
Patterns
Area lacks SES diversity; among elementary schools:
• Average high SES percentage is 85.5% with a range of
SES Diversity n/a 58.7% to 99.3%
• Highest medium SES percentage is 36.7%
• Highest low SES percentage is 9.34%

• Relieves Community House and Hawk Ridge

Utilization (+)
• Creates opportunity to relieve Providence Spring
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 Scenario A: K-8 School with Home School Boundary
Only; No Choice Seats
2018-19 2018-19 Design Baseline*
School Actual 20th Day Enrollment Given (20 students /
Enrollment Scenario classroom)

Rea Farms Relief K-8* n/a 904 1,080

McKee Road Elementary 554 434 580

Hawk Ridge Elementary 874 682 680

Polo Ridge Elementary 976 731 780

Community House Middle 1,903 1,486 1,160

Jay M. Robinson Middle 1,225 1,318 1,060

South Charlotte Middle 977 953 800

* - the design baseline is one of three metrics to be considered when evaluating utilization; it is singled
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out here for ease of making a comparison
Scenario B:
K-8 with home school boundary and ~20%
choice seats

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 Scenario B: K-8 School with Home School Boundary
and ~ 20% Choice Seats
Current Assignment New Assignment Effect

Polo Ridge, roughly east of Creates the home school

ES: Polo Ridge ES: Rea Farms
Cornhill Avenue, south of attendance area for Rea Farms K-
MS: Jay M. Robinson MS: Rea Farms
Ardrey Kell Road and north of 8; creates capacity at Jay M.
HS: Ardrey Kell HS: Ardrey Kell
Golf Links Drive Robinson Middle

ES: Hawk Ridge ES: Polo Ridge

Hawk Ridge Elementary, east Relieves Hawk Ridge and
MS: Community House MS: Jay M. Robinson
of Blakeney Heath Road Community House
HS: Ardrey Kell HS: Ardrey Kell

ES: McAlpine ES: McAlpine Ensures contiguous boundary;

McAlpine Elementary, south of
MS: South Charlotte MS: Jay M. Robinson increases number of McAlpine
I-485
HS: South Mecklenburg HS: Providence students continuing to Robinson

Endhaven Elementary, portion ES: Endhaven ES: Endhaven

which continues to Community MS: Community House MS: Jay M. Robinson Relieves Community House
House HS: Ardrey Kell HS: Ardrey Kell

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Scenario B: K-8 School with Home School Boundary
and ~ 20% Choice Seats

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Scenario B: K-8 School with Home School Boundary and
~20% Choice Seats
Board Priority Scenario Effect Detail

Home to • Increase in distance for some students whose middle

School (-) school changes from Community House to Jay M.
Distance Robinson

Intact Feeder
n/a • No change
Patterns
Area lacks SES diversity; among elementary schools:
• Average high SES percentage is 85.5% with a range of
SES Diversity n/a 58.7% to 99.3%
• Highest medium SES percentage is 36.7%
• Highest low SES percentage is 9.34%

Utilization (+) • Relieves Hawk Ridge and Community House

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 Scenario B: K-8 School with Home School Boundary
and ~ 20% Choice Seats
2018-19 2018-19 Design Baseline*
School Actual 20th Day Enrollment Given (20 students /
Enrollment Scenario classroom)

Rea Farms Relief K-8* n/a 703 1,080

Hawk Ridge Elementary 874 682 680

Polo Ridge Elementary 976 731 780

Community House Middle 1,903 1,619 1,160

Jay M. Robinson Middle 1,225 1,266 1,060

South Charlotte Middle 977 954 800

* - the design baseline is one of three metrics to be considered when evaluating utilization; it is singled
out here for ease of making a comparison 16
Scenario C:
K-8 School with choice / magnet seats only

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Scenario C: K-8 School with Choice Seats Only

The Rea Farms Relief School is in the

Ardrey Kell attendance area

The Ardrey Kell attendance area is

within the Blue Transportation Zone

Students within the Blue

Transportation Zone will have
priority over students in the Green
and Violet transportation zones

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Scenario C: K-8 School with Choice Seats Only

For magnet schools with no home

school attendance area (i.e., 100%
choice seats), available seats are
divided evenly among each of the
SES priorities

Students in high SES communities

(dark green) will have priority for
1/3 of the seats

Similarly students in medium SES

communities (lighter green) and low
SES communities (yellow) will each
have priority for 1/3 of the seats
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 Scenario C: K-8 School with Choice Seats Only

Board Priority Scenario Effect Detail

Home to
• Any increase in home to school distance is based on
School n/a
choice
Distance

Intact Feeder
n/a • No change
Patterns

If the seats fill as allocated with each SES priority receiving

SES Diversity n/a
1/3 of available seats, SES diversity will be maximized.

Unclear as to which schools will be relieved and to what

Utilization (-)
extent
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Scenario D:
Middle School with home school seats only

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Scenario D: Middle School with Home School Seats Only;
No Choice Seats
Current Assignment New Assignment Effect

ES: McKee Road ES: McKee Road

McKee Road Elementary MS: Jay M. Robinson MS: Rea Farms Creates the home school
HS: Providence HS: Providence attendance area for Rea Farms
Middle; creates capacity at Jay M.
Polo Ridge, roughly east of
ES: Polo Ridge ES: Polo Ridge Robinson Middle
Cornhill Avenue, south of
MS: Jay M. Robinson MS: Rea Farms
Ardrey Kell Road and north of
HS: Ardrey Kell HS: Ardrey Kell
Golf Links Drive

Hawk Ridge Elementary, east ES: Hawk Ridge ES: Hawk Ridge
of Blakeney Heath Road, north MS: Community House MS: Jay M. Robinson Relieves Community House
of Bryant Farms Road HS: Ardrey Kell HS: Ardrey Kell

ES: McAlpine ES: McAlpine Ensures contiguous boundary;

McAlpine Elementary, south of
MS: South Charlotte MS: Jay M. Robinson increases number of McAlpine
I-485
HS: South Mecklenburg HS: Providence students continuing to Robinson

Endhaven Elementary, portion ES: Endhaven ES: Endhaven

which continues to Community MS: Community House MS: Jay M. Robinson Relieves Community House
House HS: Ardrey Kell HS: Ardrey Kell

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Scenario D: Middle School with Home School Seats Only;
No Choice Seats

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Scenario D: Middle School with Home School Seats Only;
No Choice Seats
Board Priority Scenario Effect Detail

• Increase in distance for some students whose middle

Home to
school changes from Community House to Jay M.
School (-)
Robinson; CMS Transportation estimates average 5
Distance minute travel time increase

Intact Feeder • Increases middle school feeds at Ballantyne Elementary,

(-)
Patterns Hawk Ridge Elementary, and Polo Ridge Elementary

Area lacks SES diversity; among elementary schools:

• Average high SES percentage is 85.5% with a range of
SES Diversity n/a 58.7% to 99.3%
• Highest medium SES percentage is 36.7%
• Highest low SES percentage is 9.34%

• Relieves Community House and Jay M. Robinson

Utilization (+)
• Leaves Rea Farms underutilized by more than 400 seats
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Scenario D: Middle School with Home School Boundary
Only; No Choice Seats
2018-19 2018-19 Design Baseline*
School 20th Day Enrollment (20 students /
Enrollment Given Scenario classroom)

Rea Farms Relief Middle n/a 672 1,080

Community House
1,903 1,272 1,160
Middle

Jay M. Robinson Middle 1,225 1,207 1,060

South Charlotte Middle 977 954 800

* - the design baseline is one of three metrics to be considered when evaluating utilization; it is singled
out here for ease of making a comparison 25
Scenario E:
“Temporary” Middle School

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 Scenario E: “Temporary” Middle School

Current Assignment New Assignment Effect

Assign Polo Ridge with

ES: Polo Ridge ES: Polo Ridge
continuation to Rea Farms Relieves Jay M. Robinson (over-
MS: Jay M. Robinson MS: Rea Farms
Middle instead of Jay M. relieves)
HS: Ardrey Kell HS: Ardrey Kell
Robinson Middle
Assign Hawk Ridge with
ES: Hawk Ridge ES: Hawk Ridge
continuation to Rea Farms
MS: Community House MS: Rea Farms Relieves Community House
Middle instead of Community
HS: Ardrey Kell HS: Ardrey Kell
House Middle
Assign portion of Endhaven
ES: Endhaven ES: Endhaven
with continuation to Rea Farms
MS: Community House MS: Rea Farms Relieves Community House
Middle instead of Community
HS: Ardrey Kell HS: Ardrey Kell
House Middle
Assign portion of Endhaven
ES: Endhaven ES: Endhaven
with continuation to Rea Farms Creates more intact feeder
MS: South Charlotte MS: Rea Farms
Middle instead South Charlotte pattern for Endhaven
HS: South Mecklenburg HS: Ardrey Kell
Middle

Upon completion of a middle school across the street from Ardrey Kell, assign each of the aforementioned schools /
portions of schools with continuation to the new middle school.

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Scenario E: “Temporary” Middle School

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 Scenario E: “Temporary” Middle School

Board Priority Scenario Effect Detail

Home to • Temporary increase in home to school distance with the

School (-) assumption that it will be resolved when the new
Distance middle school is built

Intact Feeder
(n/a) • No change
Patterns
Area lacks SES diversity; among elementary schools:
• Average high SES percentage is 85.5% with a range of
SES Diversity (n/a) 58.7% to 99.3%
• Highest medium SES percentage is 36.7%
• Highest low SES percentage is 9.34%

• Provides relief to Community House

Utilization (+ / -)
• Over-relieves Jay M. Robinson
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 Scenario E: “Temporary” Middle School

2018-19 2018-19 Design Baseline*

School 20th Day Enrollment (20 students /
Enrollment Given Scenario classroom)

1,080
Rea Farms Relief Middle n/a 1,288 (1,350 @ 25 students /
classroom)

Community House
1,903 1,240 1,160
Middle

Jay M. Robinson Middle 1,225 600 1,060

* - the design baseline is one of three metrics to be considered when evaluating utilization; it is singled
out here for ease of making a comparison 30
 Next Steps

May 3 – 16 Various school-based engagement sessions

May 9, 6pm Community engagement meeting, Providence HS

May 14, 6pm Superintendent and staff will update the Board

May 23, 6:30pm Final community engagement meeting, Jay M. Robinson

Board meeting
Public hearing
June 4, 6pm
Board will vote on the Superintendent’s recommendation for Rea
Farms Relief School

The community may provide feedback on the

scenarios via an updated survey from May 9 - 20
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/G3ZD9TB

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 Ongoing Opportunities to Provide Feedback

May 3 9:30am Community House

May 8 4:15pm McKee Road / Providence Spring
(@ McKee Road)
May 8 4:40pm Hawk Ridge
May 9 6pm Jay M. Robinson, Community House and all Elementary Feeders
(@Providence HS)
May 10 8:30am Jay M. Robinson
May 10 9am Elon Park
May 13 6pm Polo Ridge
May 14 6pm Board Meeting
May 16 3:30pm Endhaven
May 23 6:30pm Jay M. Robinson, Community House and all Elementary Feeders (@ Jay
M. Robinson)
June 4 6pm Board Meeting - Public Hearing, Vote
Following this evening’s meeting, principals will send a copy of this presentation along with
a link to an updated survey to all families within their schools. 32
Appendix

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Jay M. Robinson Middle & Feeder Elementary Schools

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 Elon Park
Endhaven
Ballantyne

Elementary
Elementary
Elementary
Elementary
Community

Hawk Ridge
House Middle
Number of Classroom
Teachers

45
42
90

40

53.5
Number of Classrooms

34
39
39

35
58
(mobiles not included)

Number of Classrooms

45
54
44

38
76
(mobiles included)

Ratio Teachers to
Classrooms

1.32
1.37
1.14
1.08
1.55

(mobiles not included)

Ratio of Teachers to
Classrooms

1.0
0.99
1.05
0.91
1.18

(mobiles included)

2018-19
20th Day Enrollment
874
979

716

1,085
1,903

Ratio Enrollment to
Design Baseline
1.29
1.39
1.02
1.13
1.64

Square Footage per

Student (Cafeteria) –
6.83
7.84

15.38
11.01
16.55

12ft2/student baseline
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Community House Middle & Feeder Elementary Schools
 Current Student Population
by Attendance Area Segment
Number K-5 Number 6th grade Number of 7th –
Attendance Area Segment
Students students 8th grade students
McKee Road west of Tilley Morris and south of I-
120 22 59
485
Polo Ridge east of Tom Short 548 113 221
Polo Ridge roughly east of Cornhill Avenue,
south of Ardrey Kell Road, and north of Golf 437 90 176
Links Drive
Hawk Ridge north of Bryant Farms Road 291 42 91
Hawk Ridge east of Blakeney Heath 192 41 71
McAlpine south of I-485 48 5 18
Endhaven portion which currently continues to
343 75 97
Community House

Ballantyne north of Providence Road west 347 59 152

McKee Road entire attendance area 500 102 236

Portion of Providence Spring which currently

227 47 79
continues to Jay M. Robinson 36