The Lower Merion School District Board of Directors has decided to expand the choice zone. This will allow more students zoned for Harriton to go to Lower Merion.

The decision by the board was 5-4 in favor of expanding the choice zone to the boundaries it was in 2008. Before the vote actually happened, 100 members of the public crammed into the board room for 3 hours. At one point, the board nearly voted to delay the vote 2 years after many civic associations recommended that the vote be postponed so the board can see how the population projections turn out. This is because many members of the public felt that by expanding the choice zone, LM would become a far larger school than Harriton.

If you are currently a student at Harriton who lives inside the expanded choice zone, you will not be able to switch to LM. Incoming freshman, on the other hand, have the choice of which school to attend, which may increase population at LM.

During the meeting the district stressed that this is not a redistricting. The school district plans to expand Lower Merion classrooms into the administration building next door and construct an addition to Harriton.

Look for a complete “Ricky Reports” segment coming out within the next week.