I
admittedly have not kept up with the most recent discussions around the E-SPLOST additions
to Chamblee Charter HS and Dunwoody HS, but the forecast data does not seem to support an immediate addition to the current Chamblee HS facility. Chamblee HS is forecast to be overcapacity by 50 students. Can the current CCHS facility handle the additional 50 students versus an addition that the current facility cannot handle without significant hardships to the faculty and student body?
However, it looks like the immediate need is at Dunwoody HS???
The below data reflects the March 2019 FTE reporting period:
By 2021, Dunwoody HS will be overcapacity by 839 students. I continue to read and hear that the only solution is to “build a Doraville HS”. Here’s my comment
on that subject: Even IF a new Doraville
HS was built and ONLY non-Dunwoody residents were redistricted (Doraville
students from Hightower), Dunwoody HS would still be overcrowded. See Dunwoody HS attendance map below:
The below data reflects the March 2019 FTE reporting period:
The small area across SR-141 (Peachtree Industrial) is City of Doraville. The remainder of the Dunwoody HS attendance area is within the Dunwoody city limits.
So, is the argument to redistrict portions of Dunwoody to a new Doraville HS? Tear apart the Dunwoody community - again?! What if at some point in the future Dunwoody is allowed to create its own school system. What are the options at this point? Overcrowding will still be an issue. At the rate developers are taking over Dunwoody with storage facilities and gas stations and grocery stores, there will be little land for a new school(s).
I realize I’m putting forth an idea that may be overwhelmingly unpopular from both Chamble and Dunwoody stakeholders, but what about moving the Chamblee Magnet program to a more central location, redistricting portions of Dunwoody to Chamblee??? (ducks for cover). Chamblee would certainly be closer to many areas of Dunwoody than a Doraville High School.
There has got to be some outside of the box thinking and
planning. Just “build a Doraville HS”
and problem will be solved is not realistic in my opinion. I don’t know the answer, but it doesn’t seem
anyone else does either.
FTE
Data courtesy of the Georgia Department of Education: https://oraapp.doe.k12.ga.us/ows-bin/owa/fte_pack_enrollgrade.entry_form
Enrollment
data courtesy of the DeKalb County School System: https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/operations/planning/
Forecast
data courtesy of the DeKalb County School System: https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/applications/operations/planning/forecast/dcsd-enrollment-forecast-all-schools.pdf
Welcome back! The Dunwoody and Chamblee communities have missed your blog.
ReplyDeleteBut I have to disagree with your suggestions.
You write that redistricting parts of Dunwoody to a Doraville High School would “tear apart the Dunwoody community - again!" But then you have no problem with redistricting parts of Dunwoody to Chamblee, as long as those magnet students move out so there is room.
I don't see the distinction - maybe you can clarify? What's the difference between Dunwoody students being redistricted to the mythical Doraville High School vs. being redistricted across I-285 to Chamblee Charter High School?
My other disagreement is the notion that DCSD school plans must keep Dunwoody together. Why does Dunwoody get this right?
Citizens of other DeKalb cities are split between different clusters. Doraville fares the worst, with its residents split between Dunwoody, CCHS, and Cross Keys high schools. City of Chamblee residents are split between CCHS and Cross Keys. Brookhaven residents are split between CCHS and Cross Keys.
As best I can tell, City of Tucker residents are split between Tucker and Stone Mountain high schools.
I don't think the school district has an obligation to match up city and school attendance lines. The district needs to do what's best for all of the students. Redrawing school attendance zones to match new city boundaries would be a waste of money.
I do agree that capacity in Region 1 is a mess. I absolutely do not know why there is so little urgency from DCSD or Dunwoody to accelerate the addition to Dunwoody High School. I suspect that DCSD is putting this project “on hold,” so they can say that there is no funding option other than voting for more taxes via a bond referendum. I hope I’m wrong, but time will tell.
Thank you for your thoughts. I will say that I don't disagree with you, I'm just putting forth what I see and hear in my community. Many years ago, DCSD put forth an option to redistrict the Georgetown community to Chamblee. That was met with a huge uproar. Most Dunwoody residents assume all Dunwoody citizens would remain in Dunwoody HS. The district would have to brace itself for a huge outrage if Dunwoody citizens were moved out of the Dunwoody HS district. To this point in DCSD history, they always back down when faced with a redistricting fight.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the reality of a Doraville HS? I don't believe the school district has the funds to purchase land or build a brand new high school. Could it be part of the next E-SPLOST? Maybe, but that's years down the road.
The point I was trying to make, poorly I admit, was if DCSD is looking at options to relieve Dunwooody, then there are 2 options, in my view:
1. Go ahead and move the DHS addition to the front of the current E-SPLOST project list.
2. If that's not going to happen, then Dunwoody has 2 options, stay in the status quo, or
3. Redistrict using existing facilities. Thus, my talking point, about reconstituting Chamblee HS. Couldn't the magnet program be moved to the new CKHS facility? Could portions of Dunwoody be redistricted to Chamblee?
These are just thoughts going through my head. I don't have an opinion one way or the other, though, if my children were still at Dunwoody, that extensive overcrowding issues would concern me. Some parents seem to be ok with it.