Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools has rolled out new redistricting maps for elementary and middle schools for the 2027-28 school year.
The school board unveiled the new maps at its Sept. 3 meeting. The changes
affect fewer than 250 students, according to a district webpage, and the redistricting avoids previously redistricted students.
In a Sept. 3 letter to families, the district said it would notify affected families Sept. 4. All redistricting changes will take effect for the 2027-28 school year. No students will be moved as a part of this process during the 2026-27 school year.
"Making boundary changes for school [building] assignments is challenging, but sometimes necessary, and we understand the outcome of our work may be difficult for some of our students and families," the letter said.
Assistant Superintendent Jill Elliot said during the Sept. 3 meeting that Lincoln Elementary and Middle School South became pressure points for the district as it managed growth, and the board moved in February to commission new district boundaries for the schools.
Elliot said the district did three rounds of surveys that garnered 450 responses and contracted with a consultant for the redistricting. The goal, Elliot said, was to create boundaries that assign students to their closest school, keep neighborhoods together, keep existing feeder patterns and transfer as few students as possible.
The district is also offering a continuation option for fifth and eighth graders, allowing them to remain at their current school for their final year if families assume responsibility for transportation, the letter said.
Families can search their address to see where they fall in school boundaries on the district's redistricting page.
Gahanna-Jefferson last did redistricting in a two-phased process about five years ago, with the first phase for the 2021-22 school year and the second phase in the 2022-23 school year.
Under the new plan:
- Crescent at Central Park apartments moves from Goshen Lane Elementary to Lincoln Elementary and from Middle School West to Middle School South
- Jefferson Country Club apartments near Broad Street and some other surrounding neighborhoods move from Lincoln Elementary to Blacklick Elementary
- Neighborhoods north of Havens Road along with a few subdivisions that front Havens Road on the south side move from Blacklick Elementary to High Point Elementary
- Havens Corners Road serves as the boundary between Middle School East and Middle School South
Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact him at cbehrens@dispatch.com or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: How will Gahanna school districts change? District unveils new maps
