Overpopulated Capital Region School District To Vote On Rezoning

When I was growing up, students at my local high school went viral on the internet for a song parody (seen below) they created. It was so big, in fact, that thousands of people suddenly wanted to move to the area.

Because of that population boom, our school district had to be rezoned to to accommodate all the new students. Now, a Capital Region school district is facing the same issue.

Get our free mobile app

Changes Coming to Bethlehem School District

At the moment, Bethlehem School District is home to five elementary schools. Unfortunately for some students, these schools are not equally split. Problems have begun arising with class sizes becoming too large, and the district wants to change that.

The hope is to even out class sizes across the district so that every student can get the same amount of attention and care put into their education, but the path forward isn't an easy one.

How Will the District Rezone?

Mapping consultant Tyler Technologies came up with four separate rezoning plans that the district could pull from. After weeks of deliberation, it's been narrowed down to two choices.

Option 3-A is the first, moving 145 students:

• NPU 8: From Glenmont to Hamagrael (40)
• NPU 16: From Glenmont to Hamagrael (35)
• NPU 40: From Slingerlands to Elsmere (15)*
• NPU 53 From Eagle to Slingerlands (0)
• NPU 54 From Eagle to Slingerlands (33)
• NPU 57: From Eagle to Hamagrael (8)
• NPU 58: From Eagle to Hamagrael (1)
• NPU 89: From Eagle to Hamagrael (11)
• NPU 90: From Eagle to Hamagrael (2)

The second is Option 3-B, which moves 154 students:

• NPU 8: From Glenmont to Hamagrael (40)
• NPU 16: From Glenmont to Hamagrael (35)
• NPU 40: From Slingerlands to Elsmere* (15)*
• NPU 51 From Eagle to Hamagrael (31)
• NPU 53 From Eagle to Slingerlands (0)
• NPU 54 From Eagle to Slingerlands (33)

The decision goes to a final vote at 7p.m. on January 21st.