Agenda Item
b. Attendance Area Adjustment to Relieve Overcrowding at Idlewood Elementary School (SY 2025-2026)
Summary: Presented by: Dr. Triscilla Weaver, Chief of Access & Opportunity, Division of Access & Opportunity
Mr. Erick Hofstetter, Chief Operating Officer, Division of Operations
Request: It is requested that the DeKalb County Board of Education (“the Board”) approve the proposed elementary school attendance areas, effective July 1, 2025 for the 2025-2026 school year, as shown in the Elementary School Attendance Areas Map (dated 1/13/2025).
Why: The proposed elementary school attendance areas include an attendance area adjustment which would move an estimated 400 students from Idlewood Elementary School to Smoke Rise Elementary School. The proposed move would relieve overcrowding at Idlewood ES and provide adequate space within the Idlewood facility to progress with the major renovation of Idlewood while reducing disruption to instruction.
The approval of this request meets Strategic Goal Area 6: Organizational Excellence
Details: In January 2023, the Board approved a major renovation of the Idlewood facility, with an architect and a construction manager approved in February 2024. Idlewood Elementary School is currently 100+ students over capacity with twelve (12) existing portable classrooms. Proceeding with a major renovation without reducing the number of students, would require at least an additional twelve (12) portable classrooms. This would likely extend the construction schedule, adding significant additional cost to the project and disruption to Idlewood students and staff.
Smoke Rise Elementary has over 400 hundred available seats and is in the same middle and high school cluster as Idlewood ES.
Approval of the proposed elementary attendance areas would move an estimated 400 students from Idlewood Elementary to Smoke Rise elementary, reducing Idlewood’s capacity utilization from 115% to around 60%. This would provide adequate space within the Idlewood facility to progress with the major renovation of Idlewood while reducing disruption to instruction.
Financial impact: The attendance area adjustment from Idlewood ES to Smoke Rise ES will have no direct cost to DCSD and is expected to significantly reduce the final cost to renovate the Idlewood facility.
Contact: Mr. Erick Hofstetter, Chief Operating Officer, Division of Operations, 678.676.1470
Mr. Hans Williams, Director, Planning & E-SPLOST Programming, Divison of Operations, 678-676-1588
Dr. Triscilla Weaver, Chief of Access & Opportunity, Division of Access & Opportunity
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs
IDLEWOOD ELEMENTARY
BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
B O A R D O F E D U C AT I O N
JANUARY 13, 2025
IDLEWOOD ES
IDLEWOOD RENOVATION
▪Scope
▪ Starting in 2025
▪ Complete in 2027
▪ Renovations to kitchen, bathrooms, and
more
▪ HVAC Replacement
▪A smaller student population will help
make the project a success
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ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY REVIEW: PROCESS
December December January (TBD)
•Community Forum •Community Forum •Community Forum
#1: Introduction & #2: Options & #3: Staff
Commentary Feedback (12/7/24) Recommended Plan
(12.4.24) (1.9.25)
Student Assignment Commentary Recorded Community
Website submission Engagement Forums
email
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ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY REVIEW: GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Prioritize Prioritize equitable access to high-quality instruction for all children.
Evaluate through a District-wide perspective by considering
individual school capacities and student population projections to
Evaluate
alleviate overcrowded schools and balance enrollment for now and
the future.
Minimize Minimize disruption to the greatest number of students.
Comply with Board Policy: AD – School Attendance Zones and
Comply associated state and federal regulations
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FEEDBACK FRAMEWORK: CRITERIA
Secondary Criteria
Primary Criteria When primary criteria indicate more than one option, options
are evaluated based on, but not limited to:
1. Geographic Proximity
1. Safety and traffic patterns
2. Instructional Capacity
2. Previous redistricting
3. Projected Enrollment 3. Special programs (i.e., programs serving special
needs students that require additional classroom
space)
During the forum, community members will 4. Intact neighborhoods
review the school board's redistricting criteria
and can comment on residential development, 5. Condition of facility
traffic, previous redistricting, special programs,
and other issues relevant to the criteria used 6. School feeder alignment
for redrawing attendance lines. 7. Efficient and economical operations
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Choose to Remain
Board Policy AD
B. When attendance lines are altered, all students must attend the
✓ Rising 5th grade school serving their new attendance area, except that students
students will have the rising into the highest grade available in an elementary
option to remain. school or middle school or rising into grades 11 or 12 in a high school
will have the option of either continuing in their former school with no
transportation provided by the District or attending the new home
✓ However, no school with transportation provided under Policy ED. Students who
transportation will be choose the Board Policy AD: School Attendance option of remaining in
provided. their former school may later transfer to their new home school. Once
the student has transferred to the new home school, the student
cannot transfer back to the former school.
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FEEDBACK FRAMEWORK: NORMS
▪Can only consider input related to either the Primary or Secondary
Criteria
▪DCSD commits to receiving and considering all appropriate input
▪Staff must balance multiple perspectives and logistical limitations in
developing plans, thus not all input can be accommodated
▪Please write questions on note cards
▪Email questions, comments, and/or feedback to
DCSDBuilds@dekalbschoolsga.org with “Idlewood Feedback” in Subject
Line
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School Enrollment Capacity Seats Utilization Change
Recommendation Idlewood ES 467 768 301 61% -418
Smoke Rise ES 955 984 29 97% 418
West of
Brockett Road
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Detail Map
Area moving from Idlewood
ES to Smoke Rise ES
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FEEDBACK FRAMEWORK
Student Assignment Commentary Recorded Community
Website submission Engagement Forums
email
E-Mail: DCSDBuilds@dekalbschoolsga.org (insert “Idlewood ES” in Subject line)
Capital Improvement Program: www.dekalbschoolsga.org/cip
Student Assignment Planning: www.dekalbschoolsga.org/sap
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THANK YOU!
B O A R D O F E D U C AT I O N M E E T I N G
JANUARY 13, 2025
www.dekalbschoolsga.org