Visalia Unified sticks to school boundary maps approved earlier this year

School trustees voted Tuesday night on boundary maps for five middle schools and four high schools, but in the end chose the same maps approved earlier this year.

The Visalia Unified board rescinded maps approved in May and June, held a new public hearing attended by about 200 people, and revoted on the issue because some parents complained they were left out of the process, while others said errors occurred in how the maps were chosen.

New boundary maps are needed because the school district is opening a fifth middle school in August 2016 in northwest Visalia.

The board voted 6-1 in favor of Scenario F for the middle schools, which sends Fairview Elementary students to the new middle school. The Fairview students currently advance to Green Acres Middle School.

The board also voted 4-3 in favor of Scenario M for high school boundaries, which will send Royal Oaks Elementary students on a path to Mt. Whitney High, and Fairview students on a path to Golden West High instead of the current route to Redwood High.

The maps were chosen from a list, created by a demographer, that balances schools by family income and English language learners.

Fairview parents, many who speak only Spanish, questioned why their children could not continue to go to Green Acres and Redwood High.

“We purchased our homes on the basis they would be attending the schools we desired,” and the longer distance to the new middle school “will cause undue hardship and worry,” parent Maria Flores said.

District officials said a “soft landing” provision will be in effect for several years, allowing affected students to choose their next school – the new one or the old one.

Royal Oaks parent Michael Washam urged trustees to keep both Fairview and Royal Oaks students heading to Redwood High under an alternate map he said better met the guiding principles set by the board.

“This is blowing apart central Visalia,” Washam said.

But trustee Bill Fulmer said “the world doesn’t stop turning” because boundaries change and students attend different schools than originally planned.

Many issues involving high school boundaries could be solved by building a fifth high school, several board members said.

This story was originally published September 16, 2015 at 6:10 AM with the headline "Visalia Unified sticks to school boundary maps approved earlier this year."