HARVEY — On May 3, the Jefferson Parish School Board approved new school attendance zone maps based on the 2023 Infrastructure and Efficiency Plan. The vote came during the regularly scheduled school board meeting. The approved school attendance maps are available on the district website at jpschools.org/2023Plan.
“The 2023 Infrastructure and Efficiency Plan expands opportunities for kids, maintains educator jobs, stabilizes the district’s financial future, and addresses staffing shortages, aging facilities, and declining student enrollment,” said Ralph Brandt, Jefferson Parish School Board president.
The plan will go into effect for the 2023-2024 school year. The plan and attendance zone changes impact approximately 6,100 students, which is 13% of the district’s nearly 47,000 students.
“We have listened intently to concerns from our school families and teachers,” said Dr. James Gray, superintendent of Jefferson Parish Schools. “We have put in place supports and processes to ensure a smooth transition for students and continue to create a safe and positive learning environment for all.”
Below are the school attendance zone shifts based on the new maps. JP Schools will send letters to families with a student impacted, noting the student’s 2023-2024 school according to the approved maps.
- Grace King High School students will move to Bonnabel High School or Riverdale High School
- Gretna Middle School students move to Marrero Middle School or Livaudais Middle School
- Helen Cox High School students will move to John Ehret High School or West Jefferson High School
- Some John Ehret High School students will move to L.W. Higgins High School
- Joshua Butler Elementary students will move to Isaac Joseph Elementary or Truman School
- Some Isaac Joseph Elementary students will move to Judge Lionel Collins Elementary or Truman School
- Mildred Harris Elementary students will move to Cherbonnier Elementary or Emmett Gilbert Elementary
- Some Emmett Gilbert students will move to Cherbonnier Elementary
- Washington Elementary students will move to Bunche Elementary
- St. Ville Elementary students will move to Woodmere Elementary
- Some Audubon Elementary students will move to A.C. Alexander Elementary
- Some AC Alexander Elementary students will move to G.T. Woods Elementary
To support families and offer them maximum school choice options, the district re-opened its School Choice programs application windows from May 1 through May 12 for its 9th Grade High School Choice, Magnet School Transfer Request, and Jefferson Virtual High School. For more information about these processes, please visit jpschools.org/SchoolChoice.
The district is also allocating additional support personnel and social workers next school year to impacted high schools to support students’ social emotional needs, ensure a smooth transition, and continue to create a safe and positive learning environment for all. Principals are working on activities and programming to conduct this summer and fall to help new students acclimate. The district is also implementing the Smart Start program, using the first four days of school to give 9-12th grade students their own dedicated first day of school.
The district has and will continue to comply with state and federal law relative to accommodations that our students with exceptionalities need in order to access their educational programs. District personnel are meeting with administrators to share pertinent information about all special education students so that there will be a smooth transition. The district continues to work on bus transportation solutions, regularly analyzing ridership data in an effort to consolidate routes and make the most of the resources available.
Certificated employees with a satisfactory evaluation working at a school that is closing will maintain their employment, salary, and benefits. The district has visited schools to meet face-to-face with impacted employees to gather their input on where they would like to work next school year.
The 2023 Infrastructure and Efficiency Plan was created by the Meyers Engineering/MGT Consulting and approved at the April 5, 2023 School Board meeting. The plan is the result of feedback from the MGT Town Hall meetings held in March, dozens of community meetings, feedback from various stakeholders, and research by the district and independent education consultants. It also puts into action many of the recommendations made by the Hill Group in their 2018 Jefferson Parish Schools Educational Facility Master Plan study.
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