The first step in what is set to be a controversial, year-long school system redistricting process was taken this week by the Craven County Board of Education.
During their June 15 meeting, the board unanimously approved a recommendation to hire the redistricting consulting company Numerix, LLC of Charleston to assist in the planning process.
The school board directed staff to put out bids for consultants last month. Out of four proposals, Numerix, LLC came in with the lowest qualified bid at $35,000.
According to information provided in the meeting agenda, the school system’s Facilities Expense Budget will be used to fund the work.
Superintendent Dr. Wendy Miller told the board the new redistricting will be implemented beginning with the 2024-25 school year, giving the board all of next year to finalize the process.
A committee that included Superintendent Miller, Stacy Lee, chief of Systems and Operations, Finance Officer Denise Altman, Assistant Finance Officer Colleen Froming, and Assistant Purchasing Agent Lori Jones reviewed proposals and recommended Numerix for the consulting work.
According to Numerix, LLC’s website, the company has worked with more than 40 NC school districts and is currently consulting with Wake, Johnston, Beaufort and Stanley counties to assist in the redistricting process.
Lee said the committee was looking for a company that could perform a student population forecast as well as a system-wide population forecast, provide attendance boundary options and look at potential sites for new school construction.
“What comes out of this may be that we can redistrict…but that we really desperately need this (a new school) and they can help with where this needs to be, whether it’s an elementary school or middle school or anything,” Lee said.
Lee said the next step would be to hold a planning session with the school board to discuss what they want the redistricting plan to focus on, such as the closing or repurposing of facilities.
“Once we have that very important session then we go away and we do the work. We’ll build a project plan to say 'we’re going to deliver this here' and 'we’re going to do this here,'” Lee explained.
Lee said one of the most important components will be developing a set of maps outlining the proposed redistricting plan developed by Numerix. He said it would be crucial to get the plan in front of the public “as soon as possible.”
Lee said he was anticipating that most of the technical work on the plan would be completed by the end of the year.
“After the first of the year we can start holding public input sessions to outline the plan,” he told the board.
Lee advised the board to avoid making too many changes to the initial plan.
“Most redistricting consultants will give you the advice that the first set of maps is probably going to be the best set of maps,” he said. “If you keep changing the maps at some point the redistricting plan gets watered down to where you have to question why you did it at all.”
School board member Kelli Muse said she would like to see the plan developed in a “very analytical and transparent way.”
“This is going to be really hard work and people are going to get upset, especially if they have to move schools,” she commented.
By Todd Wetherington, co-editor. Send an email with questions or comments.