The board approved the district begin the rezoning process in December, with the purpose of offering relief to schools expected to reach above capacity in the next several years in the northern and central portions of the district. It’s the first step outlined in LISD’s long-range plan, which includes proposals for new school construction and additional attendance zoning changes in the future.
In the latest scenario for rezoning, neighborhoods who are zoned to attend Glenn High School could be rezoned for Leander High School, while students living in Leander HS neighborhoods and Vista Ridge High School neighborhoods could move to Cedar Park High School.
In potential zoning changes for middle schools, Danielson Middle School neighborhoods could be rezoned to either Leander Middle School or Wiley Middle School; Henry Middle School to Cedar Park Middle School; Leander MS to Running Brushy Middle School; and Stiles Middle School to Henry MS.
The district hosted multiple community forums throughout February and March to hear input from community members, with around 300 people participating in the discussions.
Superintendent Bruce Gearing said decisions regarding attendance zoning as well as the district’s long-range plan to address increased growth can be “exceptionally difficult to make.”
“The challenge of growing in the north and shrinking in enrollment in the south is a very challenging problem,” he said. “It is not one that’s going to be easily solved, and it’s probably not one that’s going to have a perfect solution. There are going to be some winners; there are going to be some losers.”
According to the district, the community has expressed concerns about increased commute time and traffic congestion if they were to move from one school to another. The impact rezoning could have on students in their final year of middle school or high school is another factor the district is looking at.
“Consideration for seniors and eighth graders will absolutely be there,” said Laurelyn Arterbury, area superintendent. “We’re not going to move a student in a final year. That is not fair to that child, so we’re going to be looking at some of those years.”
The last community forum on secondary rezoning is March 27, 6:30-8 p.m., at Glenn HS. The administration will present recommendations to the board May 11. District staff will then bring an updated scenario to the Long-Range Planning Committee on April 17 and a recommended scenario to the board May 11 before asking for the board’s approval June 8. The new attendance zones will go into effect in the 2024-25 school year.
