Henrico School Board proposes boundary adjustments for four high schools

Henrico School Board members will discuss a proposal to change the attendance zones of four high schools – Douglas S. Freeman High, Mills E. Godwin High, Henrico High, and Highland Springs High – at a 2:30 p.m. work session Feb. 27.

The proposal would make “minor adjustments” to Freeman’s and Godwin’s attendance zones by moving a certain number of students zoned for Freeman into Godwin, reducing current overcrowding at Freeman. Freeman is the only school over 100% capacity, according to fall 2024 enrollment reports, while Godwin is at 79% capacity.

In October, school board chair Marcie Shea (Tuckahoe District) urged Henrico Schools Superintendent Amy Cashwell to make “limited adjustments” to the two schools’ boundaries while trying as much as possible to not move students who have already started at Freeman. 

The proposal would also address growing enrollment at Highland Springs by adjusting boundaries between Highland Springs and Henrico High. A new planned housing development in the Fairfield District, which currently feeds into Highland Springs High, could be moved into Henrico High’s attendance zone to balance out enrollment between the two schools.

Highland Springs High is at just below 90% capacity, while Henrico High is HCPS’ most under-enrolled high school with a capacity of about 60%. The proposal would address potential “future growth” caused by new housing developments in the area.

The school board will also consider changes to HCPS’ attendance zone policies that emphasize taking preventive measures against overcrowding and under-enrollment at schools. Policy changes would require the superintendent and the school board to consider school boundary adjustments at least once every five years, looking at schools above 105% capacity or below 85% capacity.

Changes also would do away with the previous process required for school redistricting, which established a redistricting planning committee with 50 community members, guided by a planning specialist or consultant, that would create boundary proposals for the school board. The revised policy instead allows the superintendent to create “a plan for community engagement” in the redistricting process through public meetings, surveys, or online forums.

Other policy changes would require the HCPS Planning Office to produce annual reports on each school’s current and projected capacity each year as a part of the Capital Improvement Plan budget process.

The school board also will review an update on the Opportunity Schools Initiative, a program created in 2023 to allocate more staff and resources to Henrico schools struggling with teacher vacancies. The program has successfully decreased staff vacancies at six of the 10 Opportunity Schools, and all 10 schools have reported a decrease in discipline referrals. 

At a 6:30 p.m. monthly meeting later that day, the school board will vote on the 2024-2025 recommended budget of $914 million, which will be sent to the Board of Supervisors for approval, and the proposed bylaws of HCPS’ Special Education Advisory Committee.

Members of the public will have the opportunity to give comments in-person or online to the school board.

Liana Hardy is the Citizen’s Report for America Corps member and education reporter. Her position is dependent upon reader support; make a tax-deductible contribution to the Citizen through RFA here.