You haven’t heard much about the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools redistricting process in recent weeks because most of the work since mid-August has taken place behind the scenes. The district hired Woolpert, a consulting firm it has worked with before, to guide the process.

According to the timeline presented to the school board in August, focus groups met throughout September with Woolpert, which has been developing potential boundary line options.

As October begins, community meetings will be held to present those options and gather public input. Later in October and into early November, Woolpert will review feedback from those sessions and refine its proposals.

The firm is expected to prepare a final recommendation by December, giving the school board a plan to consider before the end of the year.

I have covered many redistricting decisions made by many HSE school boards over the past 13 years. Redistricting decisions are often emotional for families, as they can mean students moving to new school buildings, working with different teachers and administrators, and adjusting to changes in social circles.

Superintendent Patrick Mapes also emphasized at a recent board meeting that redistricting carries financial implications. With major changes to Indiana’s school funding formula enacted by the General Assembly, he said the process will play a key role in ensuring HSE uses its facilities efficiently.

The most difficult part of the process lies ahead, with the board’s decision likely coming in December. By the end of 2025, parents should know which school buildings their children will attend for the 2026–2027 school year.

HSE Schools has a Web site devoted to this redistricting process and it can be accessed using this link.