Sep 1 work session (Watch / Agenda) · Sep 15 regular meeting (Watch / Agenda)
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Highlight: Superintendent’s Recommendation for School Division Redistricting
Watch: Sep 15 regular meeting, from 2:58:13
The recommendation Dr. Keever brought to the board at this month’s regular meeting is the redistricting Steering Committee’s August draft, unaltered. (3:10:41) There were, however, additional school division commitments as part of the transition plan:
An opt-out for next year’s seniors. Students in the Class of 2028 whose high school assignment would change may attend either their current or their rezoned school. The deck tabulates each affected zone and the daily and extracurricular transit that would be needed — slide 18; on the recording at 3:11:27.
A commitment that staffing follows students. Elementary and secondary class-size targets are set by a school’s free- and reduced-price meal percentage, so allocations move as enrollment shifts — slides 20-21; 3:12:15.
Named ratios for two student groups. Language-instruction staffing ratios run from 1:20 at the lowest proficiency level to 1:100 for monitored former English learners; special education staffing is set by caseload points tied to each student’s disability and level of service — slides 24-25.
A decision timeline. A redistricting public hearing on Oct 6, with the board acting on the proposed attendance zones on Oct 20 — slide 26.
What changed between the May draft and the August maps
The board saw the committee’s first draft on May 12 and its revision on Aug 4. Four areas moved between those two drafts; three of them returned to their existing schools. The Aug 4 deck sets them out side by side — Redistricting Update, Aug 4 2026, slides 8-11.
Pointe at Jamestown, portion of 4H Club Rd
Portion of 4H Club Road, Foxfield, Jamestown 1607, Oak Hill, Jamestown & Sandy Bay Rds
Seasons Trace
Longhill Grove, Warhill Green, Powhatan Apartments (Longhill & Centerville Rds)
The same deck lists the areas the committee weighed but did not move:
Ford’s Colony
Kingspoint
Mirror Lakes/Wellington
Scott’s Pond
Cranston Mill Pond Rd., and
the Treasure Island Rd./Jockey’s Neck Trail area — each with the building-utilization and transportation figures behind the call (slides 12-17).
Two related agenda items from work session
2025-2026 Academic Progress Update
The division’s spring 2026 SOL results were presented at the work session. Among the results staff presented:
grade 3 reading pass rates up 3 points, with 7 of 9 elementary schools improving their grade 3 reading pass rate;
chronic absenteeism down to 8%;
and a 3 to 5.5 point rise in reading and math growth in grades 4-8 (slide 13).
The deck breaks reading, math and science pass rates out by student group and by locality (slides 26, 28 and 30), revealing academic gaps that several public-comment speakers pointed to two weeks later. Board member Dr. Daniel Cavazos also flagged those gaps at the work session directly:
We got to close that gap. 792 black and Hispanic students weren’t proficient last year. That’s almost 800 students. … They can’t read by the third grade. You can’t pivot into bigger and better things.
— Dr. Cavazos, 2:32:45
WJCC United Transition Roadmap
During the work session, the division’s plan was laid out for what happens after a vote on redistricting. It sets out five phases:
Anticipation (before the board votes),
Awareness (Oct-Dec 2026),
Connections (Jan-May 2027),
Readiness (June-Aug 2027) and
Belonging (the 2027-28 school year) (slide 13).
Another roadmap update is expected on Oct 6 (slide 24). Families will be told their 2027-28 school assignments in the second week of November (slide 19).
Public comment
24 people spoke on redistricting, grouped below by subtopic. Quotes are from the meeting’s automatic captions.
The maps’ effect on equity and diversity
Speaker #4 (38:58): “We are asking the board and Dr. Kever to ensure a map advances educational equity.” (41:12)
Speaker #8 (48:24): “Does this map bring our students together or does it separate them further?” (50:18)
Speaker #9 (50:33): “Our request is that every proposed boundary change be evaluated for whether it actually advances educational equity.” (51:02)
Speaker #11 (54:05): “by concentrating need in certain schools, we are going to end up with bad long-term outcomes in terms of economic mobility” (54:45)
Speaker #20 (1:10:31): “maybe we can all admit that we’ve been wrong and rethink these drawings and everything about them” (1:10:53)
Speaker #22 (1:13:29): “there is no reason that a school should see an increase of nine or 12 percentage points in the percent of economically disadvantaged students when other schools stay the same” (1:14:22)
Speaker #26 (1:18:41): “The proposed maps risk creating wider economic and academic disparities between schools rather than fostering balanced and inclusive learning environments.” (1:19:03)
Process, data, and analysis before a vote
Speaker #2 (34:39): “without the appropriate studies and additional information, we are not making an informed decision at this time” (36:32)
Speaker #3 (36:49): “I’m asking this board to halt this process immediately and investigate my findings” (38:49)
Speaker #5 (41:25): “Before approving any map, I am asking the board to conduct and release a school by school equity impact analysis that includes special education.” (43:25)
Speaker #12 (56:28): “We need a concrete plan, not a promise that one will come after the maps are approved.” (58:14)
Speaker #13 (58:46): “I’m asking that you not approve the redistricting map without addressing the demographic change that will come about.” (58:52)
Resources and staffing
Speaker #17 (1:04:13): “The board should consider and make a plan for investing in these resources.” (1:05:03)
Speaker #18 (1:05:50): “That money follows how many low-income children live here, not which building they sit in.” (1:07:23)
Speaker #19 (1:08:04): “Our community wants to know what special solutions, resources, and measurable supports will be put in place to address these inequities.” (1:08:48)
Speaker #21 (1:11:03): “no matter what maps go forward, we need a bold plan to address long-standing inequities” (1:12:12)
Speaker #27 (1:20:09): “you’re being asked to approve where the need goes before you’ve seen a plan meeting it” (1:21:55)
Neighborhoods, commutes, and school communities
Speaker #7 (46:08): “… will now have to drive past this very school to get to their new middle school” (47:47)
Speaker #23 (1:15:43): “I don’t want to do the redistricting because I’ll miss all of my friends” (1:15:47)
Speaker #24 (1:16:16): “I just encourage the board to consider other options. Think outside the box.” (1:17:02)
Speaker #25 (1:18:24): “… I just basically won’t know anyone” (1:18:24)
Speaker #28 (1:22:31): “all of the PTA administration for James River Elementary will be moving to Laurel Lane next year” (1:24:06)
Support for the plan
Speaker #15 (1:02:18): “I would like to vocalize my support for the current redistricting initiative” (1:02:43)
Speaker #16 (1:03:24): “I think the best thing all of us can do is to support.” (1:03:54)
More Public Comment
Renaming James Blair Middle School
Speaker #6 (44:05): “This community will not rest until every enslaver’s name has been removed from a public school building.” (45:39)
Speaker #10 (52:42): “I’m here to ask you once again to reconsider changing the name of James Blair Middle School.” (52:56)
Special education services
Speaker #1 (32:28): “Give General education and special education teachers protected time to collaborate and plan together.” (33:47)
Academic achievement
Speaker #14 (1:00:09): “I respectfully ask this board to direct the administration to develop a written plan … consisting of phonics-based curriculum, trained coaches for every elementary school, universal early screening and mandated intervention in a third grade reading gate.” (1:01:41)
Other Agenda Items
Sep 1 work session (Full agenda):
Approval of Personnel Actions — Approved 7-0
Instructional Technology Focus Group Update — reviewed, no vote. A board member asked whether devices could be dropped entirely in kindergarten and first grade; staff answered that they had not considered eliminating them (1:11:03).
Sep 15 regular meeting (Full agenda):
Approval of Personnel Actions — Approved 7-0
Approval of the Fiscal Year 2026 Year-End Financial Report and Proposed Commitments of Fund Balance — Approved 7-0
Approval of Request to Modify and Extend Construction Management Services for Two Pre-K Centers to McDonough Bolyard Peck (MBP) — additional cost $263,840, bringing the contract to $818,200 — Approved 7-0
Approval of 2026-2027 Textbook Selection and Adoption Proposal — projected cost $475,000, plus $15,000 in CCR funds — Approved 7-0
Approval of Calendar Year 2027 School Board Meeting Dates — Approved 7-0
Consent agenda: 13 items, all approved.
Upcoming Meetings
From the Sep 15 agenda packet (item 13.02):
Work Session & Action Items, with Redistricting Public Hearing
Tuesday, Oct 6. Closed session 5:00 p.m. in Room 200; open session 5:30 p.m.
Auditorium, Berkeley Middle School, 1118 Ironbound Road.
Joint Meeting
Friday, Oct 9, 8:30 a.m.
Legacy Hall, 4301 New Town Avenue.
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, Oct 20. Closed session 6:00 p.m. in Room 200; open session 6:30 p.m.
Auditorium, Berkeley Middle School, 1118 Ironbound Road.
How to participate: At a regular meeting, speakers sign up before the meeting begins at 6:30 p.m., and each speaker may have 2 minutes to address the School Board.
The Oct 6 work session carries a Redistricting Public Hearing, open session 5:30 p.m. (agenda item 13.02; deck slide 26).
Contact the board: The school boardmember’s contact information is listed on the division’s School Board page.