Later this month, Anne Arundel County families will see Superintendent Mark Bedell’s school redistricting plan for the first time. We interviewed Bedell about the process and asked him what the region’s many anxious families should expect.

He said his proposal is informed by the spirited, sometimes charged, meetings the district held this spring in the South County communities affected by the process as well as an analysis of nearly 9,000 comments submitted online. The district also considered results from a survey. South County communities include Annapolis, Arundel, Broadneck, Crofton, Severna Park, South River, and Southern clusters.

Bedell touted the utility of an interactive online tool that allowed families to plug in home addresses and see how their children’s school assignments might change under redistricting scenarios drafted by a consultant. Those ideas were just a starting place, he stressed.

“Because of that additional step we took this time around, gathering feedback in person in our communities, I feel we’ve done our due diligence to help families feel heard,” Bedell said.

The Baltimore Banner’s interview with Bedell has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Are Anne Arundel County schools overcrowded or under-enrolled?

There are a few scenarios that trigger redistricting. If your enrollment is growing and your schools are overcrowded, you might need to balance the system. If your enrollment is declining, you might need to close schools and redraw the map. But we’re not experiencing a loss of enrollment in any of our schools. We are growing.

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What’s your message for frustrated families?

Often, people move into a particular community after doing their research. They assess the strength of the schools and the amenities available. And then they make their decisions. These families believe they’ve found a perfect scenario.

Now they’re being told there is a possibility your child will move to a different school. I understand their frustration. But every district has to go through this in some form or fashion. And this is not the first time we have had to balance our system. We have to think about the greater good.

Why are these changes necessary?

Think about that building that is overcrowded. Those class size ratios can have a negative impact on learning. It can be harder for students to get the individual attention they need. Yes, that may well mean moving from one four-star school to another four-star school. Yes, those schools might be located in different communities, but for most people, there will be no difference in the ratings.

Will most families be satisfied by the plan you unveil later this month?

Did I address a large share of people’s concerns? Some things were easier to address than others. I hope that by the time the board deliberates, we don’t have a whole bunch left to do. I think this has been a transparent process, and I feel good about where we are at this point.

Some families have complained about the formula used to calculate available space. What’s your response?

In some schools, classrooms are being utilized as planning rooms. Teachers need that space, and the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future requires it. Some people also wanted us to count an admin suite as classroom space. But really, these spaces were built to be offices. We even went with a board member and walked the building. In the end, we did make some adjustments to the formula used to calculate available space, but they were minor.

How do you manage people’s criticism?

I lived through the COVID-19 pandemic as a superintendent. And there was nothing worse than living through Covid. Fifty percent of people were happy, 50% of people were upset, no matter what you did. I think the same applies here.

Sure, we received some negative feedback. But what you may not hear about are the people writing in saying, thank you for doing this. I appreciate that you came out to speak with us.

I don’t take it personal. They are worried, and there is fear. Fear of the unknown. People are wondering, what will this mean for my child?

Let me say, we got through Phase 1 last year, and some people were just as worried, and now we don’t hear any talk about it. This won’t be as bad as people fear it might be.

What’s your message for parents that speak derisively about certain schools?

We don’t have bad schools in Anne Arundel County.

What people here think are bad schools are B-rated in most districts. When people have an insular mindset, and all you know is Anne Arundel County, you’re going to make your assessment and assumptions based on what people have created here.

And I can tell you, this is an amazing district. I have worked in several districts now. The stability and quality of the education provided by schools in Anne Arundel County is at the top for me. And I want people to understand how good they have it.

When your recommendations get released, will parents feel they’ve been listened to?

I think the community will see that their significant input has made a difference in what the superintendent presents. We said this when we went into the meetings: Everyone can offer suggestions, but that doesn’t mean everything will be considered. They will see in my recommendations that come out. Most people will say, ‘They listened to me,’ and some will say, ‘They didn’t listen.’ But we can’t always do what people want us to do.

Does the county’s geography and many waterways make redistricting extra tricky?

There are natural constraints that we have in this district. Certain roads and water create barriers. Our goal has been to listen to people. We don’t want to increase commute times. We don’t want kids feeling like they’re being sent all over the county. But there will be times when we have to do split articulation. We had to do it in Phase 1. That will be the exception, not the norm. We have taken all those comments into consideration.