ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke City Public Schools is rolling out the first phase of a multi-year plan to redraw attendance zones — a change that could change where some elementary students attend school as soon as fall 2026.
Attendance zones are the geographic boundaries that assign a child to a specific school based on their home address. District officials say the updates are necessary to address overcrowding at elementary schools, with a goal of keeping each school at 85 to 90 percent capacity — relieving current crowding while preserving space for future growth.
“These proposed adjustments will help us to rebalance enrollment so that our schools are not stretched beyond their capacity and so they also have room to grow,” said Superintendent Verletta White.
Phase one targets north side elementary schools
The district held its first public town hall Tuesday night, virtually walking families through the proposed changes. During the meeting, officials went into detail on the proposed addresses that would be impacted. You can also find those addresses through the Monday night presentation.
Phase one would affect families zoned for Preston Park, Monterey, Round Hill, Lincoln Terrace and Fallon Park elementary schools — all located on the city’s north side.
The changes are tied to the opening of the new Preston Park Elementary School in fall 2026, which will create additional capacity in the area.
“We’re starting in Northeast because that’s where we’ve had the largest population enrollment increases, and then we’re going to rotate through — counterclockwise — through northwest, southwest, then into southeast,” said Chris Perkins, chief operations officer for Roanoke City Public Schools.
District officials also noted that the rezoning could affect staffing at some schools, though the exact impact won’t be known until final student enrollment numbers are confirmed.
Three-phase plan spans next several years
This is the first of three phases expected to roll out over the next three to five years, marking the first major redrawing of attendance zone maps since 2009 — 17 years ago.
Phase two is expected to begin in 2027, with phase three following in 2029. To ease the burden on families, the district says it plans to limit elementary students to no more than one boundary change throughout the entire phased process, so no child would have to switch schools more than once.
Parents voice concerns over student transitions
Not all families are embracing the changes. Some parents raised concerns during the town hall about the disruption of switching schools.
One parent commented, “I am against this. My son will be changing his school for one year, 5th grade, then turn around and change school for 6th grade. So 2 different schools within 2 years? How will this affect him?”
District leaders say they understand the frustration and plan to offer transition support for students and families.
“We do know that some of our students will be impacted and we do understand that change is always something that can be challenging,” White said.
“We’ll have counselors’ assistance and will be communicating regularly to ease student transitions,” Perkins added.
How to get involved before the vote
The district is encouraging community members to complete an ongoing survey open through May 18. You can find more information and the survey here.
A school board presentation is scheduled for May 12, with a formal vote set for May 26.
If the changes are approved, parents will be notified directly after the vote if their child’s school assignment is affected.
For those who missed Tuesday’s town hall, the district will hold another in-person meeting Wednesday, May 6, at the new Preston Park Elementary School from 6-7:30 p.m.