Austin ISD's long discussion about the land purchase for a potential new high school in south Austin got a little longer March 9 as the school district's board of trustees spent an hour and a half on the subject at its scheduled work session. Parent Michael Currie said during the public comment portion of the meeting that he wants AISD to address recommendations made by the south high school committee in 2013. "It's 2015. This bond election was in 2008," he said. "I think the inertia that is plaguing this process is causing a lot of disservice to both the students and potential employees in the district and [has resulted in] academic programs that have not been provided to the students here." Trustee Paul Saldaña said he is adamant that the board needs to make a decision by the end of this calendar year whether it will or will not purchase south high school land. The discussion Austin voters approved $32 million in bond funding on May 10, 2008, for the purchase of the land for a south high school. The board has met several times since then in public, held private conversations about real estate issues, and hosted community engagement meetings, but the district has not purchased land. Trustees and Superintendent Paul Cruz repeatedly emphasized that the discussion is not about the school or its design, but instead about the land purchase voters authorized in 2008. The board did not take action or vote on anything at the work session. Trustee Kendall Pace pointed out the district conducted community engagement meetings years ago related to the south high school that revolved around the potential school's academic programming, yet many attendees were more interested in where the school would be built in Southeast or Southwest Austin. "I really wanted to ask the administration when did the conversation come up [about] more than one piece of land?" Pace said. "I see the need for one high school, not two." Saldaña said there is misinformation being circulated about the south high school project, referencing comments that the district has been considering purchasing two parcels of land instead of one. He said the board has not taken any formal action to approve such direction. Trustee Robert Schneider said he firmly believes the school district needs two high schools in South Austin. He added he wants the district to continue its discussions about expanding Liberal Arts and Sciences Academy programming to students who live in the southern part of the district. "I am hoping that the end result of this conversation is that we move forward expeditiously on both south high school and LASA south," Schneider said. "To me they're two very different very separate conversations but both of which need to be had, and in the case of south high school, it's urgent. If we [purchase] two sites, one southeast and one southwest, it prepares us for the future." Cruz said staff has met with members of the existing LASA community to discuss the possibility and added that by November, the administration aims to have LASA south programming options for the board to consider for possible 2016-17 implementation. Trustee Edmund Gordon suggested a Southwest Austin trustee, Southeast Austin trustee and an at-large trustee work together to develop a framework with target dates so that the district can move forward. Trustee Gina Hinojosa asked the administration to develop such a timeline and Cruz said staff will include dates such as when the district will begin looking for sites and hosting more community engagement meetings. Nothing happens until the board reviews the timeline for that plan, Cruz said. Cruz estimated it would take about 30 days to develop the timeline, which would go to calendar committee for placement on a board meeting for approval, he said. "If we don't do something soon, especially in Southwest Austin, then you are in effect saying, 'We are never going to build a high school in Southwest Austin, and you're going to have to rely on Bowie and Austin and Crockett and the schools in that area,' and it's not going to work," Schneider said. Hinojosa also directed staff to schedule a vote regarding the land purchase for the south high school by January 2016. Resident input AISD community members spoke in favor of a south high school, with some in favor of a school on the east side and some on the west. During public comment, LBJ High School alumnus Ricardo Zavala said members of local group Dove Springs Proud, consisting of more than 280 members, want the land purchase for the new high school to be in either the 78744 or 78747 ZIP code in southeast Austin. Parent Isabel Rios said she thinks the school should be built in Southeast Austin. "The projected growth for that area indicates that we are going to have sufficient kids to fully fill out that high school," she said. Both magnet high schools in AISD are located in North Austin, Currie said. Currie and others have said they want the district to establish a LASA south program. He pointed out Crockett High School is underenrolled. "I think that tough choices have to be made in the district," he said. "Tough choices may be redrawing the [attendance zone boundary] lines, which no one wants to do, but that is a tough choice that has to be made."