7110 - SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY CHANGE PROCEDURE

1. SCOPE
   
   This procedure outlines the process for changing school attendance boundaries. 
2. DEFINITIONS
    
   1. Assignment within District: The Board shall determine annually the school attendance areas of the District and shall expect the students within each area to attend the school so designated, except as provided in Policy 5120 and Controlled Open Enrollment Policy 5121.
   2. Boundary Change Team: A team comprised of Brevard Public School employees including, as appropriate: Assistant Superintendents, school principals, educational program managers, Financial Services, Facilities Services Planning and Project Management (Facilities Planning), Transportation Services, Student Services, and Human Resources. The team evaluates the need for attendance boundary changes and prepares proposals for the Board each year, when necessary, to address new schools, over-capacity schools, program changes or school closings.
   3. Controlled Open Enrollment: In accordance with  Florida Law, a parent/legal guardian of a student under the age of eighteen (18), or an eligible student who lives in the District or in any other school district in the State of Florida, may seek to enroll in a public school in the District that has not reached ninety-five percent (95%) total capacity, subject to the maximum class size to F.S. 1003.03, and Section 1, Article IX of the Florida Constitution. Refer to Policy 5121 for program and eligibility requirements. In addition, the Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee may “freeze” a school to new incoming Education Location Option (ELO) students when in the best interest of the District. (See Controlled Open Enrollment Policy 5121).
   4. Criteria and Guidelines for Attendance Boundary Changes:  In coordination with Policy 5120, the Board directs that the assignment of students within the District be consistent with the best interest of the students and the best use of the resources of this District. The Board shall adhere to the rule-making requirements set forth in Bylaw 0131 and F.S. Chapter 120 when creating or revising school attendance boundaries. The Superintendent may recommend attendance boundary changes to the Board such changes as may be justified by the criteria defined in Policy 5120, Assignment within District.
   5. Florida Inventory School Houses (FISH) Capacity: The Florida Inventory of School Houses (FISH) is the database used by the Department of Education for all spaces in Florida public educational facilities. FISH capacity is the number of students that may be housed in a facility at any given time, based upon the number of existing satisfactory student stations multiplied by a Utilization Factor. The FISH includes both permanent student stations and relocatable student stations, referred to as total capacity. 
   6. Student Membership Count: Financial Services determines student enrollment for the Fall FTE count in mid-October of each year, which is used as the "official" student membership for the School District for that school year. 
   7. Student Membership Projections: Financial Services and Facilities Planning work together to provide the projected student enrollment for the next five (5) school years. The  Office of the Chief of Schools,  along with school principals estimate their need for space to accommodate students based on school programs and student enrollment projections.
3. RESPONSIBILITY
   
   Facilities Services’ Director of Planning & Project Management. 
4. APPROVAL AUTHORITY
   
   Assistant Superintendent of Facilities Services; Superintendent; School Board of Brevard County.
5. PROCEDURE (See Form 7110 F1, Form 7110 F4)
    
   1. General: The Superintendent periodically reviews existing school attendance boundaries and recommends to the Board changes advisable in the best interest of the students pertaining to safety, transportation, financial and administrative efficiency, the effectiveness of the instructional program, and a diverse and educationally sound balance of student populations. Facilities Planning facilitates the Boundary Change Team in the annual boundary change process.  The Boundary Change Team analyzes data and makes recommendations for attendance boundary changes.
   2. Schedule: The process begins with the "six (6) day count" of students in mid-August and continues through approval by the Board at a Public Hearing in January. Any changes that are approved go into effect the following school year. 
   3. Preliminary Proposals: Preliminary proposals are developed by the Boundary Change Team annually, when school attendance boundary changes are necessary to address new schools, over-capacity schools, program changes or school closings. Preliminary proposals may include temporary exceptions to the proposed attendance boundary changes for specific student groups such as rising sixth or eighth graders. The proposals are developed on the following basis:
       
      1. Student Membership Count as of the Fall FTE count. Because students must be geocoded into a GIS software package in order to evaluate the effects of attendance boundary changes, the current year’s data is assumed to be consistent for the following school year when the changes take effect, in accordance with Policy 5120 and Policy 5121.
      2. Student Membership Projections are used to analyze the effects of five (5) year projected enrollment trends on the preliminary proposals.
      3. Florida Inventory School Houses (FISH) data as of the Fall FTE Count is used to determine a school’s Capacity Utilization. 
      4. Rule-making requirements set forth in Bylaw 0131 and F.S. Chapter 120 are followed when creating or revising school attendance boundaries.
   4. Cabinet Review: The preliminary proposals drafted by the Boundary Change Team are sent to the Cabinet for review and comment, then modified as necessary to incorporate any comments/corrections. 
   5. Recommended Changes: Once evaluated by the Boundary Change Team and Cabinet, recommended proposals for attendance boundary changes, including temporary exceptions are submitted to the Board by the Superintendent. 
   6. Board Workshop: Recommended proposals for attendance boundary changes are reviewed and discussed by the Board at a Workshop. The Board may suggest modifications or request additional information. The proposals are then modified as necessary by the Boundary Change Team to incorporate any comments/corrections.
   7. Public Input: Methods used to gather information from the communities of the potentially affected schools will be customized per proposal and may include, but is not limited to; direct mailings, surveys, focus groups, social media, and public meetings. Staff from the Boundary Change Team will evaluate the community feedback and revise recommendations, if needed. In addition, all proposals for attendance boundary changes, incorporating the comments from the Board Workshop are:
       
      1. Published on the School District’s website, and social media sites.
      2. Submitted to the Capital Outlay Committee for review and comments (as required by the Interlocal Agreement for Public School Facility Planning and School Concurrency). The boundary Change Team evaluates and modifies the proposals, as necessary.
   8. Final Review: The Boundary Change Team performs a final review and may modify their recommendation prior to submitting the final proposal to the Board.
   9. Submittal: The final recommended proposals for attendance boundary changes are submitted by the Superintendent to the Board for approval.
6. Approval
    
   1. Information Agenda: Recommended proposals for attendance boundary changes, including temporary exceptions are reviewed and discussed by the Board as an Information Agenda Item at a Board Meeting. The Board may delete, modify or request additional attendance boundary change proposals or alternate versions of a proposal for an attendance boundary change. The proposals are then modified as necessary by the Attendance Boundary Team to incorporate any comments/corrections prior to the Action Agenda meeting.
   2. Action Agenda: Attendance boundary changes, including temporary exceptions, are reviewed by the Board as an Action Agenda Item. The Board takes action on temporary exceptions and authorizes the Superintendent to advertise for a Public Hearing at least twenty-eight (28) days prior to the public hearing. 
   3. Public Hearing: Recommended proposals for attendance boundary changes are approved by the Board at a Public Hearing no sooner than twenty-eight (28) days following the published notice for a Public Hearing. Proposals may include special considerations.
7. Implementation
   
   The approved attendance boundary changes are incorporated into the Student Accommodation Plan and implemented for the following school year.

Revised 7/23/20
Revised 4/26/22
Revised 1/16/24

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