Leaders in Howard County have approved a controversial redistricting plan. The decision will affect thousands of students. The change reportedly was made to help schools dealing with overcrowding as well as school that had a large number of children on low or reduced meals.

The Howard County Board of Education voted and approved the change last night. The vote follows months of some very emotional and tense debates on the issue.

The plan will now move about 1 in 10 students during the 2020 2021 school year. Some students will face longer bus rides. The school system services 58,000 students in one of the country’s every growing affluent area.

School Board Chair, Marvis Ellis says, “It’s a first step” in addressing socioeconomics in their schools. Not everyone is happy with the vote. Some feel it goes too far while others feel it does not go far enough.

The Howard County school system is made up of 36% white, 24% black, 22% Asian, 11% Hispanic and 6% who identify themselves as multiracial.

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