Demographics Study/Boundary Adjustment
Demographics Study/Boundary Adjustment
School Attendance Boundaries
Golden Valley Unified School District (GVUSD) is reviewing attendance boundaries as part of its long-term enrollment and facilities planning efforts. Attendance boundaries help determine a student’s assigned neighborhood school based on their primary home address and play an important role in how the District plans for current and future school capacity.
As Golden Valley Unified School District continues to experience rapid residential growth across the District, it is important to plan proactively to ensure that schools at all grade levels are appropriately balanced, accessible, and equipped to support high-quality learning environments for all students.
This review supports the District’s efforts to:
- Plan responsibly for enrollment growth associated with new housing developments
- Evaluate capacity and utilization across elementary, middle, and high school campuses
- Align attendance boundaries with existing and planned school facilities
- Maintain equitable access to educational programs and services
- Support safe, efficient, and predictable school assignments for families
This page provides families and community members with clear and transparent information about:
- What attendance boundaries are and how they are used
- How enrollment growth can impact school facilities and capacity
- Why the District is reviewing attendance boundaries and facility impacts at this time
- How students and families may be affected
- How community members can share input before any recommendations about these decisions
GVUSD is committed to thoughtful, data-informed planning that prioritizes students, families, and neighborhood schools. No final decisions will be made without careful analysis and opportunities for community engagement. The District’s goal is to support all students—both current and future—while responsibly planning for continued growth and the long-term needs of our school communities.
What are school attendance boundaries?
School attendance boundaries are geographic areas used by Golden Valley Unified School District to identify a student’s neighborhood school based on their primary home address. Attendance boundaries help the District plan for enrollment, staffing, transportation, and the use of school facilities as our community continues to grow.
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- Are a standard planning tool used by school districts statewide
- Apply primarily to general education student assignments
- Help keep schools appropriately balanced as neighborhoods grow and change
- Help support stable, predictable school assignments for families
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- Take away parent or guardian voice or involvement
- Eliminate school choice options available within the District
- Override placement in specialized programs, including special education
- Prevent families from requesting approved intra-District or interdistrict transfers in accordance with District policy
How Families Will Be Kept Informed
Golden Valley Unified School District is committed to clear and timely communication throughout the planning process. Families will receive updates through the District website, ParentSquare messages, and Governing Board meetings. Any future recommendations will be shared in advance, with opportunities for families to review information, ask questions, and provide input.
Important Information & Next Steps
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February 12, 2026 – Board of Trustees Meeting
- Draft boundary map scenarios presented as an informational item
- Board review and discussion
- No vote will take place
March 12, 2026 – Board of Trustees Meeting
- Board approved and adopted proposed boundary maps
March 13, 2026 - Notification
- District notified families that will be affected with different options and instructions
Boundary implementation would begin with enrollment planning for the 2026–27 school year.
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The District is reviewing elementary school attendance boundaries to support long-term planning and consistent enrollment practices.
Key considerations include:
- Providing clear enrollment guidelines for families
- Balancing enrollment and capacity across elementary schools
- Improving operational efficiencies such as transportation and scheduling
- Supporting facilities planning and resource allocation
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The District, in partnership with MGT, Inc., has developed a draft boundary scenarios for review.
These scenarios are intended for analysis and discussion and are not final decisions. Scenario considerations include:
- Balancing enrollment across schools
- Considering where students are currently attending school
- Accounting for school site capacity
- Evaluating walk distances around each school
Draft maps will be posted once available.
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Grandfathering allows students who are currently enrolled to remain at their current school, even if newly adopted boundary lines would otherwise assign them to a different school.
The District recognizes the importance of stability and continuity for students and families. Grandfathering considerations may include:
- Allowing students to remain at their current school
- Minimizing school changes for older students
- Considering sibling and programmatic needs
Final grandfathering guidelines will be reviewed and approved by the Board of Trustees as part of the boundary adoption process.
Attendance boundary updates do not eliminate transfer options.
Intra-District Transfers
Families may request an intra-District transfer to attend a school outside of their assigned boundary. Approval is subject to:- School capacity
- Program availability
- Allowable exceptions under District guidelines
Interdistrict Transfers
Interdistrict transfers will continue to follow established policies and timelines. Approval is not automatic and depends on capacity and applicable regulations.
Notification Letter - 03.13.2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Depending on the final attendance boundary plan adopted by the Board of Trustees, some currently enrolled students living within the identified boundary adjustment areas may experience a change in their assigned school. The proposed updates would also apply to newly enrolling and transferring students.
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Sibling considerations are an important factor. Families are encouraged to share sibling-related concerns through the feedback survey for review as scenarios are considered.
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Transportation impacts depend on final boundary decisions and individual home locations. Families are encouraged to share transportation concerns through the feedback survey.
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No decisions will be finalized until the GVUSD Board of Trustees vote to approve a Boundary Adjustment. The Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote on boundary adoption at a future meeting.
The District is collecting feedback to understand how proposed boundary scenarios may affect families.
Families are encouraged to share input related to:
- Sibling placement
- Access to programs and services
- Transportation considerations
- Grandfathering priorities
- Transfer exceptions