Capacity & Utilization Study: Boundary Analysis Engagement Plan
NNPS is taking the opportunity to consider the most efficient and effective way to utilize school division space and resources at all levels.
NNPS is partnering with a firm, WXY, to guide a redistricting process to develop new school attendance zones that maximize facility and resource utilization. A final recommendation of revised attendance zones will be made to the School Board in January 2027 for consideration and possible implementation for the 2027-2028 school year.
Division Priorities
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Ensure equitable access to high quality educational opportunities and services for all students
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Foster community schools anchored by clearly defined feeder patterns
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Improve operational efficiency, including reducing bus run times and maximizing building utilizations
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Enhance safety and security, including eliminating modular learning environments where possible
Project Objectives
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Ensure efficient use of facilities through a comprehensive study of current capacities and utilizations and an update of functional capacities for all schools in the Division
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Ensure that school boundaries and assignment patterns are responsive to expected enrollment growth and decline across the Division by conducting 5-year enrollment projections
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Produce updated school boundaries that reflect the Division’s facility needs, growth, transportation patterns, neighborhood integrity, and community priorities
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Thoughtfully engage Division leadership and the broader community to ensure that planning reflects stakeholder priorities and input
Current Map
Current attendance zone areas (click Education to view and manipulate the map and view feeder pattern alignment)
Community Engagement
In Fall 2026, NNPS will be holding public meetings to involve community members from all backgrounds in the process of establishing new attendance boundaries and feeder patterns for Newport News.
The NNPS Capacity and Utilization Study engagement process will include two rounds of public meetings as well as an interactive web tool and survey.
Meeting Round 1, late September 2026
These meetings introduce the project to the public, establish an understanding of existing conditions in the Division, outline the criteria to be used for developing and evaluating new boundaries, and gather initial community input to inform the draft boundary scenarios.
Three evening meetings will be held with tentative dates of September 29, September 30, and October 1, 2026. Locations to be announced closed to meeting dates.
Meeting Round 2, early December 2026
These meetings will walk participants through a set of 2-3 draft boundary scenarios, including discussion of trade-offs between the scenarios. Participants will discuss the draft scenarios and provide input to be used in the production of one final scenario.
Meeting dates and locations will be announced in fall 2026.
Interactive web tool
In tandem with each round of meetings an interactive web tool will be made available. The tool will allow NNPS community members to explore data about schools within the division, complete online surveys about their priorities, and share feedback on draft scenarios.
Project Timeline
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June 2026
Capacity Study and Site Visits -
July 2026
Existing Conditions Analysis
Enrollment Projections -
August 2026
Capacity, Utilization and Enrollment Projections Report -
September 2026
Pre-Scenario Community Engagement Meeting
Launch Webtool Version 1: Existing Conditions -
October 2026
Boundary Scenario Development -
December 2026
Post-Scenario Community Engagement Meeting
Launch Webtool Version 2: Boundary Scenarios -
January 2027
Draft finalized redistricting scenario and final boundary recommendation
Launch Webtool Version 3: Boundary Recommendation
About WXY and PEA
WXY is a planning and design firm based in New York City. WXY has a long track record working with school districts on boundary analyses and related community engagement, and is regarded as a leader in the field for their rigorous analysis, strong visual communication, robust engagement work, and dynamic interactive boundary websites that allow communities and stakeholders to engage actively with the process.
WXY has led comprehensive boundary studies in some of the nation's largest and most complex districts. Relevant highlights include: Prince George's County Public Schools (MD), the state's second largest district serving 133,000 students across 200 schools; Hillsborough County Public Schools (FL), serving over 213,000 students across more than 300 schools; Anne Arundel County Public Schools (MD), serving over 85,000 students across 126 schools; and the School District of Lancaster (PA), serving nearly 10,000 students across 19 schools. Across these engagements, WXY led data analysis, developed comprehensive reports and recommendations, supported or led large-scale community engagement, and helped districts implement successful changes to attendance boundaries and policies.
WXY has also supported key school planning efforts in the DMV region, including in Washington, DC, where the firm led analysis and interactive web tool development as part of DCPS's 2023 Boundary and Student Assignment Study, and in Montgomery County, MD, where WXY led broad community engagement, developed an interactive web tool, and produced a comprehensive boundary analysis for MCPS in 2020. WXY is currently supporting two other Virginia counties with boundary studies and redistricting efforts: Fairfax County Public Schools and Frederick County Public Schools.
Public Engagement Associates (PEA) is a Washington, DC-based consulting group dedicated to helping those who want to effectively engage citizens on important issues that impact their lives. It is led by three principals—Steve Brigham, Hala Harik Hayes, and Kim Sescoe—who each have more than 20 years of experience leading prominent public engagement efforts in the greater Washington, DC region. PEA is dedicated to helping decision-makers engage people—residents and stakeholders—on the important public issues that impact their lives.
