Boundary Adjustments Under Consideration
After several months of reviewing enrollment data, listening to feedback from the community and receiving input from the Boundary Advisory Committee, the Board heard a final staff presentation and public comments before making its decision on December 12, 2017; the Irvine Unified School District Board of Education approved boundary adjustment Option 1. This adjustment will keep the Stonegate Elementary School community cohort together and beginning in 2019, change the attendance areas from Portola High School to Northwood High School and from Jeffrey Trail Middle School to Sierra Vista Middle School. The Board also voted to adjust boundaries for students from the Los Olivos community from Portola High School to University High School, beginning in August 2019.
Click here for an update (December 13, 2017) from the District’s Executive Director of Secondary Education, Keith Tuominen, regarding the boundary adjustments.
For questions and comments, please email info@iusd.org.
Boundary Adjustment process
The District began the boundary adjustment review process due to extensive new residential growth east of the 5 Freeway, which will result in Portola High School and Jeffrey Trail Middle School significantly exceeding their school capacities by fall 2019.
As part of the comprehensive review process, the Board of Education directed staff to form a representative Boundary Advisory Committee and to hold parent forums so that families, who may be affected, would have a voice in the District’s process. The 36-person Boundary Advisory Committee is comprised of parent representatives, high school students, teachers, principals, and district staff from each of the areas and schools that could be affected.
In addition, IUSD hosted three parent forums in November to present detailed information about possible boundary adjustment options being considered, to answer questions and to receive parent input, which has been presented to the Board of Education, the Boundary Advisory Committee and the Superintendent's Cabinet.
The Boundary Advisory Committee recommendations, parent feedback and recommendations from the Superintendent's Cabinet will be presented to the Board during the Board of Education meeting on December 12, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. at the District Office (5050 Barranca, Irvine). This meeting is open to the public.
For those who cannot attend this meeting, you may watch it live by visiting iusd.org/livestream or on Cox channel 39 or AT&T U-verse channel 99. The meeting recording will also be available on demand the following day at iusd.tv.
Boundary Adjustment Maps
Initially, the Boundary Advisory Committee procured various boundary adjustment options, which were refined and reduced down to four options that were shared with the Board of Education, at the October 23, 2017 Boundary Study Session. To review the four initial options with maps click here.
Boundary History
- In the fall of 2013, Jeffrey Trail MS opened bringing relief to Sierra Vista Middle School’s large enrollment and providing middle school access for new residential development.
- In the fall of 2014, IUSD staff initiated a high school boundary study for the opening of Portola High School in 2016.
- In 2014, the Boundary Advisory Committee and district staff acknowledged that the dramatic residential growth east of the 5 Freeway might require additional adjustments to attendance boundaries.
proposed options 1-4
- Option 1: moves the Stonegate community (served by Stonegate ES) from Jeffrey Trail Middle School to Sierra Vista Middle School. There is one high school option at this time that moves the Stonegate community attendance area from Portola High School to Northwood High School.
- Option 2: moves the Stonegate community (served by Stonegate ES) from Jeffrey Trail Middle School to Sierra Vista Middle School; and moves the Cypress Village community served by (Cypress Village ES) from Jeffrey Trail to Venado Middle School. (Removed for Board consideration)
- Option 3: moves the Stonegate community (served by Stonegate ES) from Jeffrey Trail Middle School to Sierra Vista Middle School; and moves the Northwood community (served by Northwood ES) from Sierra Vista to Venado Middle School. The Northwood community would continue to attend Northwood High School. (Removed for Board consideration)
- Option 4: moves the Stonegate community (served by Stonegate ES) from Jeffrey Trail Middle School to Sierra Vista Middle School; and moves the portion of the Cypress Village community west of Roosevelt (closest to the 5 Freeway) from Jeffrey Trail to Venado Middle School. The Cypress Village community east of Roosevelt (closest to JTMS) and the area south of Sand Canyon remain at Jeffrey Trail MS. The entire Cypress Village community would continue to attend Irvine High School. (Removed for Board consideration)
Criteria Considered for Boundary Adjustment
- Adjust adjacent middle and high schools boundaries to balance enrollment with Jeffrey Trail MS and Portola HS to accommodate the impact of student enrollment growth east of the 5 Freeway.
- Provide a transition to adjusted attendance areas for middle and high school students and their families that supports their educational experience.
- Balance student enrollment through a five-year and ten-year enrollment projection across the middle and high schools impacted by any adjustment.
- Provide for a feeder system and transition from elementary to middle to high school that supports students’ educational experience.
- Maintain student enrollment within the maximum number of students served by each middle and high school based on Board Policy/Administrative Regulations (1200 and 2600 students respectively).
- Enhance the positive impact and minimize the negative impact on District programs.
- Recognize the desire to maximize limited District resources efficiently.
