Community members comment on AISD facilities plans

"I have a very grave concern about the damage that is done to schools when they're placed on a list," she said. "We learned in two previous rounds of experiences with the district and its proposal for closures that when you tell the community you're closing a school or that you're planning to close their school, that really harms the school."

Paul Turner, AISD executive director of facilities, said the district has experienced an enrollment decline of about 1.4 percent during the past year. He said AISD will work with a new demographic consultant, Davis Demographics & Planning Inc., to determine the effect the decline will have. Nevertheless, schools throughout the district are overcrowded, and Turner said the district has implemented efforts to relieve overcrowding in areas including North Austin.

"We're looking at strategies we might have to use in other parts of the district that are really overcrowded right now," he said, citing Blazier Elementary School as an example.

Trejo said she hopes the district will consider boundary adjustments as an option to better utilize schools in Central Austin.

Southwest Austin resident Debby Clarke asked the facilities team when AISD plans to purchase land for a new South Austin high school. Bond money for the land purchase was secured in the 2008 bond election.

"I know there are a lot of parents in Southwest Austin wondering 'Hey, what's the deal with this?'" she said, pointing out the district sought community input on academic programming options and has not yet released the results.

Fryer said public input indicated that most of the community wants a comprehensive school design, possibly with a focus on science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM.

Turner said the district will have a report in January showing where growth is happening.

"There has been growth in Southeast [Austin]; we expect a lot more growth with Goodnight Ranch development," Turner said. "All of that's been slowed down, as you know, by the recession. But we do expect over time, since that's where most of the raw land exists, for that to be a higher-growth area than any other part of South Austin."

Fryer said there is no timeline for the south high school project. Austin voters did not approve funds for a feasibility study as part of the 2013 bond. Turner said the next step would be for the board to schedule time to discuss the south high school.

AISD plans to hold additional community meetings about the FMP on Oct. 30 from 6:30–8 p.m. at Austin High School, 1715 W. Cesar Chavez St., and on Nov. 6 from 6:30–8 p.m. at Lanier High School, 1201 Payton Gin Road. There is also a hotline for FMP questions: 512-414-2FMP. The district aims to complete the FMP on or before June 30, 2014.