Sumter school board superintendent to present draft timeline for rezoning Monday

After Sumter school board voted 5-4 to pursue district realignment of school zone lines at its last meeting, Superintendent William Wright Jr. will provide a draft timeline for implementation at Monday night's meeting.

A presentation on the 50% grade floor rule that was removed by the previous board nine months ago, to include achievement data in its first semester of implementation, is also listed on the agenda posted online Friday, and trustees will vote on whether to reinstate the floor.

The draft rezoning timeline is much anticipated because realignment was a contentious issue with the public in 2021-22 when an outside consultant worked with the board on the study. Another previous board approved rezoning in a split vote three years ago, but it was postponed in January 2023 and later essentially dropped in August of that year in favor of a more comprehensive district Master Plan concept under then-Chairman The Rev. Ralph Canty.

After 26 months of no discussion on rezoning, current board Chairman Shawn Ragin included it on the agenda for the March 10 meeting, and the trustees voted on it the same night.

Ragin told The Item on Friday that Wright's proposed timeline will consist of the work needed to be done by district administration for realignment implementation. The full board will then discuss the timeline with the superintendent.

Ragin said he is not aware if implementation will be for the upcoming school year or later. Related to that subject, the chair added he doesn't know how much work administration has done to date on the realignment process.

Two main goals in the rezoning project from three years ago were to increase bus transportation efficiencies, which were improved slightly in the option chosen, and also balance "facility utilization," or schools' enrollments, across the district.

To balance utilization, a project theme involved moving students from higher-enrollment schools in the City of Sumter to lower-enrollment schools in the outlying county areas.

Major variables that administration must consider in realignment include personnel moves, redrawing bus routes and realigning special needs programs to follow students.

If implementation is for next school year, rezoning will need to be completed by July.

Monday's meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the district office, 1345 Wilson Hall Road.

Because the meeting is the board's monthly work session, public participation is not listed on the agenda.

For those not physically attending, the district broadcasts meetings live on YouTube.

Anyone wanting to attend the meeting virtually can do so via YouTube Sumter School District Board Meeting and the district's Facebook page, @SumterSCSchools.