Proposed Seattle School Boundary Maps To Be Unveiled Tonight

This afternoon at the School Board Meeting, parents will be able to take a first look at the Seattle School District proposed student assignment plan . Currently boundaries for attendance schools are being redrawn. If the District adopts the maps, it will play a significant role in where students will attend public school in Seattle.

Here are the current maps.

Today's meeting will be held from 4-8 p.m. at the John Stanford Center auditorium.

After reviewing all comments, the District will formally introduce recommended boundary maps — including any revisions — at the Board meeting on Wednesday, November 4.

The schedule of community meetings leading up to the final vote on November 18 can be found here.

The meeting for this area is at Eckstein Middle School this Saturday from 10am-12pm.

"Seattle Public Schools has worked closely with the community to create a new student assignment plan that is equitable, predictable, and easy to understand," the SPS website says.

Under the new plan, students will receive initial assignments to elementary, middle or high schools in their attendance areas. The assignments will be based on their addresses. Students can choose to apply to schools outside their attendance area and those assignments will be based on a series of tiebreakers. If students are presently enrolled at schools outside their attendance areas, they can stay at those schools through its highest grade under a process called “grandfathering” — as long as the services the students need are available at those schools.

The new plan will be implemented in phases, beginning in the 2010-11 school year, starting with incoming Kindergarten, 6th and 9th grade students. The assignment rules for the current 2009-10 school year will remain the same.

If you can't attend a meeting, there are other ways to give input. You can send e-mail, or postal mail. There are also opportunities to speak at public meetings and hearings. To sign up to speak go here. To fill out a survey and submit your comments go here.