Public feedback on the Alamance-Burlington School System’s (ABSS) rezoning plan concluded this week after two in-person sessions held at Williams High School and Southeast Alamance High School. The sessions marked the final opportunity for community members to voice their opinions before the proposal is presented to the Alamance-Burlington Board of Education.

Overcrowding and Future Growth Drive Rezoning Efforts

ABSS officials said the need to redraw school attendance zones stems from overcrowding at Garrett Elementary, Southern Middle, and Walter M. Williams High School. These schools are already operating beyond their capacity, while several others are nearing their limits. The district projects that new residential developments will add 13,000 homes over the next decade, further increasing student enrollment.

Matthew Palmer of SchoolCAMP, a firm within North Carolina State University’s Operations Research and Education Laboratory, and ABSS Superintendent Aaron Fleming led the sessions. ABSS hired SchoolCAMP to develop a six-step rezoning plan to address school enrollment capacity, transportation efficiency, and long-term growth.

The plan aims to balance the needs of elementary, middle, and high schools, with a focus on reducing overcrowding and eliminating the need for mobile classrooms. District leaders emphasized that the meetings were designed to ensure transparency with families and provide community members with a final chance to ask questions and offer feedback before the proposal moves forward.

Community Voices Concerns and Support

Feedback at both sessions was mixed, with some attendees expressing opposition to the rezoning plan while others praised its data-driven approach and focus on student safety, overcrowding, and bus efficiency.

One attendee said, ‘I’m grateful for the level of analysis going into making these decisions for the better of the schools, kids, and community.’

However, community members raised concerns about the lack of transparency from the school district, long bus rides for students, and the potential use of mobile classrooms, particularly for early childhood and Pre-K programs.

Palmer said the proposed boundaries were designed to reduce overcrowding and eliminate the need for mobile classrooms. He added that the plan reflects a 10-year vision for school development, emphasizing the importance of addressing issues now to avoid future complications.

‘This is showing the 10-year plan of schools,’ one attendee said. ‘I don’t want to be sitting here in a meeting like this next year saying, ‘Well now we need to talk about high schools.”

Transportation and Boundary Concerns

Transportation concerns also emerged during the meetings. One attendee questioned a proposed boundary along Dixon Road, noting that it could lead to buses for different schools traveling the same road while students wait at multiple stops.

Palmer explained that high school changes were not recommended at this stage because planners first need a clearer understanding of elementary school capacity to begin feeding into high schools.

‘At this point you really want to know your elementary capacities to align elementary and middle schools with high schools,’ he said.

Fleming closed both meetings by thanking residents for their involvement and emphasizing the district’s commitment to transparency between families and administration. ‘It’s good to see the community so engaged in the schools of our county,’ he said.

The final rezoning proposal will be presented during the school board’s work session on March 10, with a vote expected March 23. The decision will have significant implications for student transportation, school capacity, and the overall structure of the district.