Stoughton’s effort to redraw elementary school boundaries is shifting gears as the district navigates delays in hiring a professional mapping consultant. The Elementary Redistricting Committee voted Thursday to extend its vendor selection timeline through May and pivot toward a dual-survey strategy designed to calm rising anxieties among parents. Chair Chris Shannon informed the committee that the original schedule required adjustment because a vendor has not yet been secured to generate specific boundary options.

The reason for the delays in our meeting has been the delay in the process, Shannon explained, noting that the committee is still reviewing bids. Shannon highlighted that the group cannot ask for specific community feedback on new zones until it has professional data to share. A comprehensive survey can't go out to the community until the mapping company comes in and gives us a couple of options. Other districts included three or four options... and then the district asks community members and stakeholders what they are in favor of.

To bridge the communication gap, the committee will now issue two separate surveys: a preliminary questionnaire this spring to identify resident priorities and a second survey in the fall once professional maps are available. Committee member Megan suggested the spring survey focus on broader concerns, noting that when I bring it up in the community, everybody's got something to say about it. She emphasized that parents are particularly focused on the practical impacts of the South School project, such as traffic. One of the things I'm hearing the most about is the traffic signals and the traffic on that road and if there is going to be a light, she said, referencing the recent state rejection of a signal at the new school site.

Superintendent Joseph Baeta supported the two-step approach as a way to manage public perception and misinformation. We could look at people's fears or concerns with the process and maybe we would be able to then... dispel some of the concerns, Baeta said. He noted that while preliminary heat maps from 2023 exist within the building project files, they are based on outdated data and should not be used for final decision-making. Member Jillian Distefano voiced support for gathering early feedback but admitted, I am wondering what that would look like without options to compare. I'm having a hard time conceptualizing it.

Parent and PTO representatives on the committee stressed that the community is eager for any news regarding how the new South School will affect their neighborhood assignments. PTO Representative Ms. Hilton noted that the topic is a frequent point of discussion at local meetings. Folks are starting to get antsy, especially the lower grade parents, Hilton said. So I think any information is good. Parent Representative Rob agreed, stating that any opportunity to elicit feedback is also an opportunity to give the community an update. Motion Made by J. Sears to amend the project timeline to move vendor selection to February–May 2026 and to schedule two community surveys in the spring and fall of 2026. Motion Passed (5-0-0).

The redistricting process remains a critical component of the town’s larger $150 million school infrastructure plan, which includes the ongoing construction of the South School. While the committee works through the mapping delays, town officials continue to manage the project’s fiscal footprint, including the recent transfer of $3.3 million in high school project surpluses to mitigate South School debt. Vice Chair Armando Barbosa was present for the proceedings as the committee set its next meeting for May 21 at Stoughton High School, where they hope to introduce the selected mapping vendor to the public.