Alachua County Public Schools administrators anticipate a final draft of the new school zoning map to be ready sometime mid-March, according to ACPS director of communications, Jackie Johnson.
ACPS officials last updated the proposed maps Feb. 25 following multiple community input sessions hosted at various elementary, middle and high schools across Alachua County, which have 6,600 available seats.
“That is not unique to our district,” Johnson said. “That’s happening statewide and nationwide.”
Johnson said rezoning schools will allow ACPS to rightsize its schools, which Johnson said isn’t a choice made lightly.
“These are difficult decisions that have to be made,” she said. “There’s no question about it.”
Five schools may close depending on which proposed map ACPS officials adopt. Three of them are located in East Gainesville: Duval Early Learning Academy, Joseph Williams Elementary and Marjorie K. Rawlings Elementary.
Alachua County NAACP President Evelyn Foxx said that reality worries her.
“We’re really concerned about that,” she said.
Foxx led a town hall meeting Feb. 16 at Dayspring Missionary Baptist Church aimed at encouraging discussion about the proposed school zoning maps.
“I think we can find another path forward,” Foxx said.
There are no community input sessions scheduled in March. Alachua County’s school board will meet March 3 and host two workshops March 17 and 18, respectively.
The final draft of the school zoning map will be presented to the school board for a vote before any changes take effect.