Lexington-Richland School District 5 Approves Transformative Rezoning Plans Enhancing Student Placement and School Infrastructure

Lexington-Richland School District 5 Votes to Approve Rezoning Plans

In a pivotal decision, the Lexington-Richland School District 5 approved rezoning plans on Monday that will significantly alter where students will attend school. These rezoning plans are part of a comprehensive 5-year master facilities plan. Superintendent Akil Ross expressed the district’s intention to utilize their current infrastructure to accommodate growth, primarily by rezoning schools in areas that are experiencing congestion to less populated zones, such as Dutch Fork.

The Red, Yellow, Green Zones

The district produced a visual representation to illustrate the rezoning plan. In this map, red circles represent high-capacity schools or “stress points,” yellow signifies schools currently operating at their maximum, and green indicates ideal capacity levels. The goal is to reduce the number of stress points and increase the ideal capacity across the district.

“Visualizing the capacity situation of our schools through the map can help stakeholders understand the need for movement of students to balance the workload,” said Ross. “Alternatively, we can expand existing buildings, thereby causing fewer disruptions in terms of student movement. The decision ultimately lies with the voters. “

Two Major Proposals

The rezoning plan consists of two main proposals. The first proposal suggests converting the district’s two intermediate schools into new middle schools. The second proposal is contingent on the $240 million bond referendum, approved by board members in May, which is earmarked for several improvements including infrastructure expansion.

Without the bond referendum, schools currently at their maximum capacities will have to be redistributed towards ideal capacity areas. However, with the successful passing of the referendum, funds will be made available to expand school buildings in these high-stress areas, thus relieving some of the pressures.

Maintaining Quality of Education

Regardless of the outcome of the bond referendum, the district is determined to transform the two intermediate schools into middle schools. Ross emphasized the importance of providing students with a safe and conducive learning environment.

“While it’s crucial to manage the student distribution, equally important is ensuring our students are in a learning-friendly infrastructure. That is exactly what we aim to achieve through these changes,” said Ross.

Addressing Security Concerns

The district’s study conducted last year revealed that addressing all the safety and security concerns within the school district would cost approximately $39 million. To alleviate these concerns, the school board has approved the issuance of $15 million in short-term debt, repayable by next March.

In closing, Ross confirmed that neither the $240 million bond referendum nor the short-term debt issuance would result in a tax increase.