Howard school board schedules additional redistricting public hearings

The Howard County Board of Education announced additional public hearings on the ongoing redistricting process and new work session dates at its general meeting Tuesday afternoon.

With 516 community members signed up to testify for the Sept. 26 hearing, the remainder of the testimony will be heard at four additional hearings, scheduled for Oct. 7, 10, 15 and 16. All hearings will begin at 6 p.m. and will be held in the school board headquarters in Ellicott City.

These sessions are for region three residents, composed of those having children who attend Marriotts Ridge, Glenelg, River Hill or Reservoir high schools and their feeder schools.

Howard schools Superintendent Michael Martirano presented a proposal in August to move nearly 7,400 students in a comprehensive redistricting process to combat school overcrowding, address inequities in the distribution of students affected by poverty and establish a road map for high school 13.

The school board is scheduled to vote on a plan Nov. 21.

School board work sessions on the proposal will now begin Oct. 17 during the 7 p.m. hour of the general Board of Education meeting. The sessions were originally scheduled to begin Oct. 10.

The remaining work sessions are scheduled for Oct. 28 and 30 and Nov. 5, 12, 14 and 18. The work sessions will begin at 6:30 p.m. Members of the public may attend but will not be allowed to participate.