BCSD attendance zones could change amid rapid growth

BERKELEY COUNTY, SC (WCSC) - Attendance zones could be changing for Berkeley County School District because of rapid growth in the area, according to the school board.

During the Dec. 11 meeting, the BCSD school board heard suggested changes to school boundary lines for the Cane Bay schools.

The recommendation comes in response to more than one thousand kids moving to Berkeley County School District this year.

“In a high-growth area, these are pretty tough decisions to make,” consultant Dr. Tony Parker said during the meeting. “This is one that does not require expenditures, but it requires a great deal of give and take on the part of the board and the public as a whole.”

The proposed changes are not final, but current plans include moving Carnes Crossroads residents from Cane Bay Elementary to Devon Forest Elementary.

If that change happens, about 72 students would be impacted.

At the middle school level, students who live in Carnes Crossroads would move to College Park Middle School from Cane Bay Middle School.

The current plans also propose moving families living in areas of Sangaree to Stratford High School. That proposal would move 485 high school students for the 2018-2019 school year and 584 students in 2023-2024.

“We will be holding community meetings to get stakeholder feedback in the new year,” BCSD spokesperson Katie Orvin said.

BCSD board members said the district currently has about 35 thousand students.

If growth continues at about one thousand students per year, the district can expect more than 42 thousand students in less than 10 years.

Orvin said these are just potential changes right now and no decisions have been made.

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