a. Introduction

b. Project Team

c. Project Meeting Dates

d. Project Mission Statement

e. Project Principles

f.  Project Deliverables

g. Project Time Line

h. Project Resources

i.  Project Constraints

a. Option 11d Recommendation

b. How to read Option 11d Maps

c. Redistricting Option 11d Description and Enrollment Forecast

d. Option 11d Town-wide Map (North)

e. Option 11d Town-wide Map (South)

f.  Option 11d Davis-Thayer District Map

g. Option 11d, Jefferson District Map

h. Option 11d, JFK District Map

i.  Option 11d, Keller District Map

j.  Option 11d, Oak Street District Map

k. Option 11d, Parmenter District Map

1. Redistricting Project Summary

A. Introduction

The overall goal of the redistricting project is to contribute to the district’s goal of providing all Franklin Public Schools students with the best physical learning environment possible by uniform and equitable utilization of facilities according to the needs of the educational program.

Redistricting is a massive undertaking that will affect a great number employees, parents and students. Redistricting will effect all residents perhaps in very small ways and those residents who are our customers in very significant ways. Changing district boundary lines is accompanied by emotion and passion. This task is made more complex by accidents of geography, the locations of our schools, the street and neighborhood network that makes up the Franklin community and the geographic distribution of our students. Redistricting has a direct impact on school budgets, jobs and the education of every student. Redistricting is a daunting task.

Redistricting is also a very necessary task. The Town of Franklin has responded to the extraordinary growth of Franklin’s school age population by initiating a massive school construction project. Table 1 displays the addition of 361,850 square feet of school house space over the past 6 years in the Town of Franklin. The acquisition of portables in 1998, 1999 and 2000 simply kept pace with district growth. Enrollment growth has been averaging 5 percent per year. The new schools will accommodate present growth and permit overcrowded existing schools to recapture valuable specialized spaces such as library, computer lab, art and music spaces and important meeting and storage spaces.

Redistricting is the altering of school district boundary lines to achieve the desired end of efficient, effective and equitable utilization of schoolhouse space and resources. Table 2 illustrates the present enrollment for each school as of October 1, 2001.

The goal for the Redistricting Team is to change school district boundary lines in a way that follows the principles and practices of good school management and achieves enrollment targets established for each building in the best possible way. The objective for the Redistricting Team is to reduce enrollment at each existing school, open the Keller School and prepare for the relocation of Oak St. and finally redistrict the middle schools.

This document contains maps, statistical information and resources used by the team in reaching decisions with regard to redistricting. Using the materials contained in this manual and additional information and materials, the Team took the following work path:

D. Project Mission Statement

To create a new school boundary plan that will, to the extent possible, further the district’s goal of providing the best physical learning environment possible by uniform and equitable utilization of facilities according to the needs of the educational program.

E. Project Principles

Every redistricting project must be guided by principles or rules. These rules are used to guide the district boundary designers in their decision-making and to provide equity in the redistricting product. The redistricting options reviewed by the Team were guided by the following project principles. These principles are presented in no particular order.

A Note on Redistricting Principles

The Team considered each of these principles as redistricting options were developed and boundary line changes were proposed. As the project progressed, we found that some of our guiding principles were contradictory or adverse to each other. For example, in our early boundary line models, we emphasized the "effect the fewest number of parents and students" principle. We found that this principle worked against promoting an "efficient system of school bus transportation" and "maximizing walking paths to school". We found it impossible to "impact the fewest number of students" and not create situations were students spent excessive time on the bus or passed one school to reach their destination school.

F. Project Work Products and Deliverables

The redistricting team project deliverables are as follows:

G. Project Time Line

The major milestones in the Franklin Public Schools redistricting project are as follows:

People Resources

Project Team Members

Town Planning Department

Town Building Department

Town Clerk

Massachusetts Department of Education

Metropolitan Area Planning Council

NESDEC

Other Districts who have been through redistricting

Technical Resources

GIS Technology owned by the district

Presentation Technology owned by the district

NESDEC

U.S. Census Data

Outside consultants

I. Project Constraints

Time

School budget development for FY 2003 depends on completion of the redistricting plan. The plan must be reviewed, discussed and accepted as early as possible to have an impact on FY 2003 budget development.

Geography

As Team members review and discuss redistricting options, the constraints of the Town’s geography become apparent. Factors such as the Town’s natural barriers (Rte. 495, Rte. 140, Commuter Rail Line), the existing road network, the placement of schools and the distribution of student populations come into play. There can be no perfect redistricting plan that satisfies all of the principles of redistricting. The best plan will be an accommodation respecting the geography of the Town and the educational goals of the school district.

2. Elementary Option 11d

A. Option 11d Recommendation

B. How to Read the Option 11d Maps

The Option 11d maps feature several map layers. These layers include:

Students - Each dot represents one or more students at a known address. All student information comes from the district’s student information system as of 5/2/02. Large scale maps (District Maps), feature only one district. The student dots on these maps display three characters showing the pre-redistricting (9/01) school for that address.

Street Network - The source for the Franklin street network is "U.S. Streets". This is a street map maintained by the United States Government. Street names are provided. The last update to the map was the 2000 Census. Streets not included in the U.S. Streets map are added by hand by Franklin personnel.

Schools - School locations are indicated in bold, black type and have a school house symbol.

District Lines - Heavy blue lines indicate new district lines.

North/South Maps - The map of Franklin is printed in two sections to provide adequate resolution for the reader.

District Maps - Larger scale, individual district maps are also displayed.

The redistricting recommendation, Option 11d maps and supporting materials follow:

Redistricting Option 11d Enrollment Forecast and Analysis

Option 11 d features good balance at all schools. Total enrollments are below targets at all schools except Keller. Note enrollment is forecast to decline at Keller in 2003. Maximum effort was made to create a "school centric" boundary plan. This results in maximum use of walking paths to school and minimum time on the bus where transportation is required. Four in ten students are moved to a new school in Option 11d.

"Students 9/2002 by Grade and Prior School" report is attached. This report displays students at each school as of 9/2002, by grade and prior school.

Map Links

Option 11d Town-wide Map (North)

Option 11d Town-wide Map (South)

Option 11d Davis-Thayer District Map

Option 11d, Jefferson District Map

Option 11d, JFK District Map

Option 11d, Keller District Map

Option 11d, Oak Street District Map

Option 11d, Parmenter District Map