HENRICO COUNTY, Va. β More than 200 Henrico County parents packed into J.R. Tucker High School Thursday night to hear about potential redistricting changes that could affect elementary, middle and high schools across the division.
The Henrico school division is proposing redistricting for several schools as part of seven possible scenarios aimed at reducing transportation challenges, balancing enrollment and planning for future growth.
"We want every student to learn in a safe, welcoming and optimal school environment," a school leader said. "This means making schools aren't too crowded or under utilized, it means that new or renovated buildings are used effectively and that families move through school feeder patterns as smooth as possible."
After a brief presentation outlining the seven scenarios, parents split into breakout rooms to review maps and share their thoughts on the potential changes.
Some parents expressed support for the redistricting, noting it could create more diversity among students and funding.
"Our population is a higher percent low-income, that it would bring more balance to Tuckahoe," one parent said.
"It may bring more diversity in our population that would be zoned to Tuckahoe," the parent said.
Another parent highlighted disparities across the county.
"I would love for you all to imagine how the East End of Henrico feels," the parent said. "We have African American and Hispanic population, we don't have half of the things you guys have."
However, others raised concerns about whether the changes would actually benefit students academically.
"With Mayberry being reassigned to Quioccasin, a school with lower academic outcomes and greater challenges is only going to get stretched thinner and thinner which doesn't help a single student in that school," one parent said.
"If we're going to be moving things around which I understand to address capacity, then we should address education mix, racial mix," another parent said.
The proposed timeline also drew criticism from some attendees. The school division indicated redistricting could begin as early as the 2026-27 school year, with students in 5th, 8th, 11th and 12th grades potentially having the option to remain at their current schools.
"I wonder whether this proposal considers the students first, or the other factors comes first," the parent said.
Another parent worried about the impact on extracurricular activities.
"My thing I think about is all of his extracurricular activities, he plays basketball, like if he was have to go to a new school or something would he have to start all over again?" the parent said.
The school board's timeline calls for a redistricting vote in December. For parents who couldn't attend Thursday's meeting, the county says additional sessions will be scheduled. Dates for those meetings and an online survey can be found here.
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