Hanover County Public Schools Boundary Adjustment Process
Hanover County Public Schools is currently undergoing a boundary adjustment process as part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring that our school buildings support the current and future needs of our school community.
This webpage serves as your central hub for information regarding the ongoing boundary line evaluation and adjustment process. You will find important dates, opportunities to provide input, the specific maps, and more relevant information to help ensure you are fully informed throughout this process.
We are committed to working with our families during this process and appreciate your partnership and collaboration.
Project Overview
As part of a long-term and more comprehensive solution to addressing current and future student enrollment and capacity across schools in the division, HCPS is undergoing a boundary line evaluation and adjustment process. This process will help to ensure that we continue to serve our students in facilities that are used in the most effective and efficient way possible.
HCPS has engaged a third-party vendor, MGT, to lead this process, utilizing their expertise in school boundary analysis and associated community engagement. MGT representatives have drafted the adjustment options, led community meetings, presented to the School Board, and more.
Timeline
The boundary adjustment process includes several steps. The initial phase this fall involved data collection and analysis. Draft boundary options were published in January as part of a robust community engagement process.
The final options will be published in advance of their presentation to the School Board, which is currently slated for the School Board’s March business meeting. A vote on the boundary adjustments is currently scheduled to take place at the School Board’s April business meeting.
With the School Board approval, most adjustments would take effect for the 2025-26 school year.
Here is more information about the process to-date:
- Spring/Summer 2024: As part of a long-term and comprehensive solution towards addressing student enrollment and capacity across all schools in the division, including Cool Spring Elementary School, we determined that a boundary adjustment process is needed. Accordingly, a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process began that included receiving and evaluating bids, and conducting due diligence. This process was specifically administered by Hanover County Government, which oversees the procurement process across agencies in the county, including Hanover County Public Schools, and is in alignment with established procurement policies and state codes, specifically the Virginia Public Procurement Act. MGT was selected through this competitive process.
- October 3, 2024: HCPS announces the start of boundary evaluation and adjustment process.
- October 8, 2024: MGT, the third-party vendor hired to lead the process, provides a high-level overview of the process to the Hanover County School Board. The presentation can be found on BoardDocs.
- December 18, 2024: HCPS shares new webpage with utilization of each school and announces January community engagement sessions.
- January 14, 2025: MGT presents a comprehensive update to the School Board and outlines the upcoming community engagement sessions.
- January 27-29, 2025: MGT hosts three in-person community engagement meetings to share the proposed scenarios, provide additional context, and collect input.
- January 30, 2025: Comprehensive information for the scenarios and the opportunity to provide input remotely is shared with the HCPS community.
Proposed Scenarios
MGT has presented three draft scenarios with boundary adjustments. To better understand the development of these scenarios, we recommend watching the recording of one of the in-person community meetings and reviewing MGT’s presentation. Both of these resources provide you with significant information regarding capacity and utilization data, MGT’s forecasts, the three scenarios, and more.
Additionally, an advanced mapping tool that can be found here allows you to access and more closely review the proposed scenarios, including the potential impact for you and your family. This tool allows you to zoom in to specific areas of interest and also search your address for each scenario (the search icon in the top left of the scenario slides). Please also note that to review the entirety of a specific scenario, click the arrows on the right- and left-hand side of the slides.
While we strongly recommend that you watch a recording of MGT’s informational meeting and review the PowerPoint presentation, below is a summary (it does not include all proposed changes) of the three scenarios:
- Blue Scenario
- Giles neighborhood would move from Cool Spring ES to Washington-Henry ES beginning in the 2025-26 school year. Atlee Manor, Craney Island Farms, and Craney Island Estates, and homes in the general vicinity would move from Cool Spring ES to Washington-Henry ES beginning in the 2027-28 school year with the opening of the replacement Washington-Henry ES.
- An area west of Route 301 near Pearson’s Corner ES would move from Rural Point ES to Pearson’s Corner ES.
- An area east of Route 301 that is south of Totopotomoy Creek and is near Studley Road would move from Washington-Henry ES to Rural Point ES.
- An area south of Meadowbridge Road would move from Washington-Henry ES to Mechanicsville ES.
- Green Scenario
- Atlee Manor, Craney Island Farms, and Craney Island Estates would move from Cool Spring ES to Washington-Henry ES beginning in the 2025-26 school year. Giles would move from Cool Spring ES to Washington-Henry ES beginning in the 2027-28 school year with the opening of the replacement Washington-Henry ES.
- An area west of Route 301 near Pearson’s Corner ES would move from Rural Point ES to Pearson’s Corner ES.
- An area east of Route 301 that is south of Totopotomoy Creek and is near Studley Road would move from Washington-Henry ES to Rural Point ES.
- An area south of Meadowbridge Road would move from Washington-Henry ES to Mechanicsville ES.
- Purple Scenario
- Kings Charter would be split along Charter Lake with some students remaining at Cool Spring ES and other students moving from Cool Spring ES to Pearson’s Corner ES.
- Craney Island Estates and Craney Island Farms would move from Cool Spring ES to Washington-Henry ES.
- Rutland Village townhomes west of Atlee Road would move from Pearson’s Corner ES to Washington-Henry ES.
- Middle School and High School
- Across all three scenarios, middle and high school boundaries are adjusted to align with the updated elementary school boundaries to create clean feeder patterns (more on this below).
- Specifically, these adjustments are for Oak Knoll MS/Hanover HS and Chickahominy MS/Atlee HS (slides 55 and 56 of the MGT presentation). No changes are proposed for Liberty MS/Patrick Henry HS or Bell Creek MS/Mechanicsville HS, meaning if your student currently attends one of those schools, they would not change schools in these scenarios.
- HCPS currently has four split feeder patterns – a split feeder pattern means all students from the same elementary school don’t attend the same middle and high school. This would be reduced to one (Mechanicsville ES) in all three scenarios, meaning all other elementary schools across HCPS would directly feed to the same middle and high schools.
- If middle and high school boundaries were to remain the same while elementary school boundaries change, the number of split feeder patterns would increase to six.
- The current feeder patterns and the proposed feeder patterns can be found on sides 57 and 58 of the MGT presentation.
Again, we strongly recommend that you read the presentation and utilize MGT’s advanced mapping tool to more closely review the proposed options.
Community Engagement
We understand that there is significant interest in this process. Please be assured that your valued input and partnership is a key part of informing this important work. We remain committed to keeping you fully informed as potential adjustments are proposed and input opportunities are made available.
MGT hosted three in-person community engagement meetings to receive input on the draft boundary options. More information on the options is above.
The three meetings were held as follows:
- Monday, January 27 at 7 p.m. at Atlee High School (auditorium)
- Tuesday, January 28 at 7 p.m. at Patrick Henry High School (auditorium)
- Wednesday, January 29 at 7 p.m. at Mechanicsville High School (commons)
MGT continued to collect input via an online survey regarding the process and the proposed scenarios through Monday, February 10.
Data
The MGT school utilization webpage includes the utilization (essentially, the percentage of a school’s functional capacity in which students are enrolled) of each school in the division. Please note that there are current, five-year, and 10-year forecasts for each school level.
This data is guiding MGT’s work as we collaboratively work to effectively and efficiently utilize our school buildings. This information is an important cornerstone for this work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is HCPS adjusting school boundaries?
As you may know, HCPS, along with the Hanover County School Board, have worked to address a significant increase in enrollment at Cool Spring Elementary School, including the installation of temporary learning cottages. As part of a long-term and more comprehensive solution to address student enrollment and capacity across schools in the division, a boundary line adjustment process is needed.
What is the process for adjusting the boundaries?
The process follows four steps: Initiation, Preparation, Boundary Options, and Recommendation/Finalization.
In the first step, data is gathered and analyzed, among other things. In the second step, forecasts are drafted and boundary options are developed.
In the third step, draft boundary options are published and community engagement sessions are held. In the fourth step, the final boundary options are published and the School Board votes on the adjustments. The final two steps are taking place between January and April 2025.
What is the timeline for the adjustments taking effect?
With the School Board’s approval, most adjustments would take effect for the 2025-26 school year.
Will middle and high school zones be impacted?
Across all three proposed scenarios, middle and high school boundaries are adjusted to align with the updated elementary school boundaries to create clean feeder patterns.
Specifically, these adjustments are for Oak Knoll MS/Hanover HS and Chickahominy MS/Atlee HS. No changes are proposed for Liberty MS/Patrick Henry HS or Bell Creek MS/Mechanicsville HS, meaning if your student currently attends one of those schools, they would not change schools in these scenarios.
HCPS currently has four split feeder patterns – a split feeder pattern means all students from the same elementary school don’t attend the same middle and high school. This would be reduced to one (Mechanicsville ES) in all three scenarios.
If middle and high school boundaries were to remain the same while elementary school boundaries change, the number of split feeder patterns would increase to six.
Will my middle and high school student have to change schools immediately or will they be grandfathered in?
No decisions have been made in this regard. We understand that transitions can be challenging for families, and we are committed to keeping you informed throughout this process. Once additional decisions are made, we will communicate it promptly to ensure families have ample time to plan.
Does the capacity data include learning cottages?
Capacity data includes only brick and mortar buildings.
Where can I find the proposed boundary adjustment maps?
This tool from MGT and MGT’s presentation contain information regarding the adjustments. We recommend reviewing the above information, which includes the proposed scenarios, their impact, and the context behind them.
Does my input matter?
Yes! We deeply value the input of our families, staff, and community members. We are thankful for your participation in this process, whether it be attending one of the community engagement meetings or completing the survey. All input is collected, prepared, and shared with the Hanover County School Board for the Board’s consideration.
The proposed scenarios have been released. What comes next?
Please be assured that no final decisions have been made, and the School Board will work closely with MGT to refine the scenarios/options. MGT collected community input through an online survey. The survey remained open through Monday, February 10.
Once all input is received via the community survey, MGT will work to compile, organize, and share all feedback for the School Board’s further consideration. Following MGT’s presentation of the community input, the School Board will work closely with MGT to refine the scenarios/options into recommendations for presentation and discussion at its March 11 work session. During this work session, Board members will work together to make a final recommendation that will be presented at its business meeting that night. The School Board remains scheduled to vote on the boundary adjustments at our April 8 meeting.
How will this impact kindergarten enrollment?
We continue to plan for kindergarten enrollment for the 2025-26 school year and will communicate more information as it becomes available.
As a school employee, would I change schools as a result of this process?
We continuously review our staff across schools to ensure that our employees are at the school(s) where they are needed to best support our students. Upon the approval of the adjustments, we will conduct a review of their proposed impact and staff our schools accordingly.
How was MGT selected?
MGT was selected through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process that was administered by Hanover County Government, which oversees the procurement process across agencies in the county, including Hanover County Public Schools. Our work with MGT on this process has been professional and aligned with established procurement policies and state codes, specifically the Virginia Public Procurement Act.
Contact
If you have any questions about this process, please contact [email protected].