ACPS sends school placement letters for 2026-27 redistricting
District offers deferral options for students reassigned under new boundary plan
Alexandria City Public Schools began notifying families Friday about their children’s school placements for the 2026-27 academic year, marking a significant milestone in implementing the redistricting plan approved by the school board in June.
The notifications, sent via ParentSquare and U.S. mail, inform families whether their students will continue at their current schools or transition to new buildings under boundary changes that take effect next fall. Approximately 1,400 currently enrolled students are impacted by the redistricting.
The school board approved Elementary School Triangle Map Plan 3 and Middle School Option E on June 12, 2025, after a two-year process that began in June 2023. The redistricting aims to balance student enrollment across the division, alleviate overcrowding, and ensure equitable access to resources.
Understanding the changes
According to implementation regulations, all ACPS students are expected to attend their designated attendance zone schools when classes begin in the fall of 2026. However, the district offers deferrals for specific grade levels.
The notifications detail each student’s current school and grade, their assigned school for the 2026-27 academic year, their assigned redistricting study area number, and their eligibility for deferral. Parents can also view placement information through the PowerSchool Parent Access portal.
Deferral options
Families with students in specific grades who have been reassigned may request deferrals to delay the transition.
Students eligible for one-year deferrals—delaying reassignment until the 2027-28 school year—include:
Currently enrolled seventh graders
Currently enrolled fourth graders who were enrolled by the start of the fourth quarter
Siblings of fourth graders who have requested a deferral
Students eligible for two-year deferrals—postponing reassignment until the 2028-29 school year—include:
Currently enrolled sixth graders
Currently enrolled third-grade students at Douglas MacArthur Elementary
Siblings of qualified third graders at Douglas MacArthur who have requested a deferral
Families with deferral-eligible students must complete a Redistricting Deferral Form by January 15, 2026. Deferral requests for qualified students will be automatically granted. Families who do not submit the form by the deadline will be assigned to the school listed in their notification letter.
Transportation eligibility
Under ACPS School Board Policy EEA, the district provides transportation for students in grades K-8 living beyond one mile from their school and for high school students living beyond one-and-a-half miles from their school. Transportation is also provided where there is no walk path free from unusual hazards.
Students who receive administrative transfers outside their attendance zones are not eligible for district-provided transportation. Students who receive deferrals will continue to be eligible for transportation to their current schools if they meet distance requirements.
Transportation routes for the 2026-27 school year will be announced in summer 2026.
Phased implementation
The redistricting will be implemented in two phases. While most boundary changes take effect in 2026-27, a second phase affecting specific study areas begins with the 2027-28 school year.
Due to ongoing renovations at George Mason Elementary through 2026-27, students from study areas 40 and 170 at Charles Barrett and study areas 35 and 172 at Jefferson-Houston who are redistricted to George Mason are scheduled to transition during the second phase in 2027-28. Current kindergarten through second-grade students from MacArthur whose neighborhoods are redistricted to George Mason will move to the swing space facility in 2026-27.
Special circumstances
The implementation plan addresses various special situations:
All capacity transfers—temporary placements used to balance enrollment—will end with the start of the 2026-27 school year, though students may request deferrals if eligible. Students with programmatic transfers are exempt from mandatory reassignment and may continue at their current schools. Students in dual-language programs who are reassigned to schools without such programs may request transfers to continue their language education. Students experiencing homelessness or whose placement has been determined by an Individualized Education Plan may remain enrolled at their current schools. The district will review all existing administrative transfers to determine whether they remain valid under the new boundaries.
Key dates
January 15, 2026: Deadline for deferral requests
February 2026: Confirmation of 2026-27 school year placements
February-June 2026: Operational preparation, including bus route updates, staff reassignments, and resource allocation
Summer 2026: Transportation route information released
July-September 2026: Open houses, school tours, and welcome activities
What parents need to know
Families living in areas where boundaries did not change received confirmation that their students will remain at their current schools with no action required.
For families whose children have been reassigned, the district recommends:
Check email or log into ParentSquare to view the notification
Review the ACPS Attendance Zone Locator to confirm placement
If eligible for a deferral, complete the Redistricting Deferral Form by January 15, 2026
Contact your school registrar if address or sibling information needs updating
“Successful implementation of the new school boundaries requires true partnership,” Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt wrote in the notifications. “We are committed to working together with our families, staff, and community partners.”
Parents with questions can visit www.acps.k12.va.us/new-boundaries, email ask@acps.k12.va.us, or submit questions through the Ask ACPS About Redistricting form.
ACPS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.