County-wide study could redraw every school boundary

What happened

Bedford County Public Schools has hired an outside firm to study school attendance boundaries across all three zones and all grade levels. The board agreed to the idea in April 2026, the division asked firms to bid on April 23, 2026, and the board directed the study to go ahead in June 2026. A work session with the firm, Demographic Analysts Advisors, was set for August 18, 2026 and was open to the public. The division has opened a page on its website about the study.

Why it matters to families

Attendance boundaries decide which school a child attends. A study covering all three zones means almost any family in the county could be affected. Some Bedford schools are close to full while others are losing students, so the study is expected to suggest moving boundaries. Nothing has been decided yet, which is why the division is asking families to follow the work sessions.

The evidence

The superintendent's August 6, 2026 report to the school board gives an 'Update on the Redistricting Proposal Timeline', saying a letter went to parents, faculty and staff, that a work session with the Demographic Analysts Advisors was set for August 18, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. and open to the public, and that an official website page had been opened. His July 9, 2026 report states that 'According to the School Board's directive in June, we are initiating a comprehensive, county-wide redistricting study with a third-party vendor.'

The source