School Redistricting Concerns Shared By Families At Alexandria School

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Families with students at one of Alexandria's elementary schools have raised concerns with a redistricting proposal on the table for Alexandria School Board approval.

Alexandria City Public Schools is in the midst of updating school boundaries to better balance enrollment and school capacity. ACPS last had a redistricting process in 2018. It typically does the process every five years, or when a new school opens. The latest update to school capacity was the opening of the expanded Douglas MacArthur Elementary School building in fall 2023.

Redistricting impacting MacArthur students is now one of the focuses of criticism from the community. ACPS had released updated proposed school boundary maps on April 22 — the Triangle Plan, Square Plan and Circle Plan. All three proposed options would split MacArthur Elementary's attendance zone between Francis C. Hammond and George Washington Middle Schools.

A group of parents and other Alexandria residents shared a letter with the School Board with a concern that redistricting would feed MacArthur students into two different middle schools. The letter, signed by 116 families, noted that some MacArthur students have already dealt with challenges in past years, like navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and relocating to a swing space during school reconstruction.

"Despite all of this, the incredible educators and administrators at MacArthur built a strong, joyful, and connected school culture. The students and staff worked hard to create community—and they succeeded," the letter to the school board stated. "To split these children apart now—just as they enter middle school, one of the most socially and emotionally sensitive periods of their lives—would not only be deeply disruptive, it would also undo years of work by our educators to build connection, stability, and trust."

The group is demanding the school board keep MacArthur Elementary students feeding into the same middle school, pause boundary changes that rely on changing or incomplete plans, and increase transparency and family engagement before a final decision.

According to ACPS, the school board will approve final school boundary policies and adjustments in June. Families will be notified of chances in July 2025 through August 2026, the latter of which is the date for implementing full boundary changes.