Poll: How Will School Redistricting Affect Communities?

Howard County school board members will hear from the community at a public hearing on a plan members are considering for school redistricting, which is designed to ease overcrowding in southeast area elementary schools.

The proposal as it stands is already generating controversy.

"This plan tears a community apart, isolates a group of 20 children, creates an island, increases transportation costs," wrote Kings Contrivance resident Laurie Buonaccorsi in a letter to Explore Howard.

Joel Gallihue, manager of school planning, that "people don't like change" and he understands many are upset or angry over the proposed plan.

"We're listening for suggestions that are better than the staff suggestions," he said. "It's not a perfect plan, and if someone comes up with a perfect plan, I'll take it."

Do you support the redistricting proposal?  Vote in our poll or explain more in comments.

Can't go to the public hearing tonight, but want to follow it? Patch editors will be live blogging the meeting. Follow live blog updates at Columbia.Patch.com or on Twitter. Follow: @SavGuilfrdPatch, @ColumbiaPatch and @lisaarossi or search the hashtag #hocoschools.