SW New Mexico News

Las Cruces Public Schools (LCPS) will begin outlining new school attendance boundaries for consideration by the LCPS Board of Education. This effort coincides with the opening of the new Columbia Elementary School and aims to balance school populations and address overcrowding in the district’s East Mesa schools. According to district administration, redistricting will also help bolster the student population at Mayfield High School, which has become a focus of the district.

Under the plan, there will be a Redistricting Advisory Committee that includes LCPS staff, parents, students, and two Board of Education members. The Redistricting Advisory Committee will solicit feedback from community stakeholders and work with a consultant to identify possible new attendance zones. These options will then be presented to the LCPS Board of Education for discussion and possible approval later this year.

The process of redistricting is outlined in Policy JCAA, which gives the Board of Education authority to alter geographic attendance zones based on the opening of new schools or shifts in population.

In addition to LCPS staff, students, and Board of Education members, a total of 16 parents will be selected to serve on the Redistricting Advisory Committee. This includes three from each of the four high school feeder patterns (one each from the high school, middle school, and elementary levels) who will be chosen in a lottery-style drawing and four at-large appointments representing special programs. To be considered for one of the 12 feeder pattern parent representatives, parents can submit their information using provided links. The deadline to apply is Friday, Aug. 23 at 5 p.m., and parents must commit to all three meetings scheduled on:

- Thursday Sept. 5, 2024, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

- Tuesday Oct. 15, 2024, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

- Wednesday Oct. 30, 2024, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

The drawing will be livestreamed on the LCPS YouTube channel on Monday, Aug. 26 at 10 a.m., with alternate names drawn if a selected committee member cannot commit to the meeting schedule.

All three meetings of the Redistricting Advisory Committee will be recorded and available for viewing at www.lcps.net.