SEATTLE -- Seattle Public Schools has released new proposed attendance boundary maps as part of their ongoing student assignment plan.

The district released a set of boundary maps that define new attendance areas for each school. To view the maps, click here.

If approved in mid-November, the maps will determine students’ initial school assignments based on their addresses. This new assignment plan would be phased in beginning in the 2010-11 school year for students at entry-grade levels -- usually kindergarten, 6th, and 9th grades.

The new assignment plan aims to keep students closer to home while balancing enrollment at all schools.

MORE INFO Input Your Address To Find Your School Here View Boundary Maps Here

Some guidelines of the new boundary maps:

- Students will receive their school assignments based on their address.
Students may also apply to an option school associated with their attendance area or a student can choose to apply to a school outside their attendance area. Those assignments will be based on a series of tiebreakers. -At the high school level, the proposal is to set aside approximately 10% of available seats for students from outside the attendance area, which will provide more equitable access to specialized programs.

- Currently Enrolled Students May Remain at the Current School
If a student is currently enrolled at a school outside their attendance area, they can stay at that school through its highest grade under a process called “grandfathering”—as long as the services the students need are available at that school.

The new plan will be implemented in phases, beginning in the 2010-11 school year; the assignment rules for the current 2009-10 school year will remain the same.

- New Attendance Areas To Replace Outdated Boundaries
If adopted by the school board, the new attendance area boundaries will replace a set of school reference areas that haven’t been updated in decades, no longer reflect city demographics, and do not accurately reflect the capacity of the district’s facilities.

Seattle schools said needs to balance availability of facilities with where students live now, and where enrollment changes are projected for the future. As a result, McDonald Elementary, Rainier View Elementary, Sand Point Elementary, and Viewlands Elementary schools have been proposed for opening as attendance area school. Old Hay has been proposed to open as an option school with a focus on Montessori.

“The current way we assign students to schools is extremely complicated and costly. Families have told us they need a process that is predictable, equitable and easy to understand, and we agree,” said Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson.

Right now, Seattle's system is heavily based on choice.

“I urge families to review the boundary maps and to give us their feedback,” said Dr. Goodloe- Johnson.

A series of community feedback meetings will be held:

Saturday, October 10th, 10:00AM-12:00PM Eckstein Middle School 3003 NE 75th Street

Saturday, October 10th, 2:00PM-4:00PM Washington Middle School 2101 S Jackson

Monday, October 12th, 6:30PM - 8:30PM McClure Middle School 1915 1st Ave W

Tuesday, October 13th, 6:30PM - 8:30PM Aki Kurose Middle School 3928 S Graham Street

Wednesday, October 14th, 6:30PM - 8:30PM Ballard High School 1418 NW 65th Street

Thursday, October 15th, 6:30PM - 8:30PM West Seattle High School 3000 California Ave SW

Friday, October 16th, 6:30PM - 8:30PM Denny Middle School 8402 30th Ave SW

Saturday, October 17th, 10:00AM - 12:00PM Mercer Middle School 1600 S Columbian Way

Saturday, October 17th, 1:00PM - 3:00PM Mercer Middle School 1600 S Columbian Way

More workshops and community meetings will be held in November before a possible vote on the new attendance area boundaries on Wednesday, November 18th.

If you cannot attend the meetings, you may submit comments via e-mail to newassign@seattleschools.org or by postal mail to Seattle School Board, P.O. Box 34165, MS 11-010, Seattle, WA, 98124-1165.

More info: http://www.seattleschools.org/area/newassign/