Round Rock ISD will present a recommendation Thursday to its board of trustees on where to place the future Pearson Ranch Middle School's attendance zone, which will determine the students who will attend the school based on their home addresses.
Setting an attendance zone is a necessary step prior to school's planned opening in August 2017. Trustees are expected to vote Nov. 17 on the final boundaries.
Pearson Ranch Middle School, which will be RRISD's 11th middle school, is expected to ease overcrowding throughout the district, particularly in the Walsh and Cedar Valley middle school areas, district spokesperson Corey Ryan said.
But according to the district's recommendation, carving out a new attendance zone could affect existing zones for all of the district's other middle schools, potentially requiring some students to change schools.
“We understand how hard this is for parents,” Ryan said. “For us, we have to do what’s best for the totality of the district."
Round Rock ISD's recommended attendance zone for the future Pearson Ranch Middle School is made up of portions of existing zones for the Grisham, Deerpark, Cedar Valley and Walsh middle schools. District trustees will vote Nov. 17 on final boundaries. Map courtesy RRISD.[/caption]A district map of the potential new attendance zones shows the proposed Pearson Ranch Middle School zone made up of portions of existing zones from the Grisham, Deerpark, Cedar Valley and Walsh middle school areas.
RRISD plans to hold three forums on the attendance zone recommendation prior to trustees' final votes, Ryan said. Forums are scheduled for Sept. 21 at Cedar Valley Middle School, Sept. 28 at Chisholm Trail Middle School and Sept. 29 at Walsh Middle School. Each public event will start at 7:30 p.m. in the schools’ cafeterias, according to an announcement from the district.
Ryan said the Pearson Ranch Middle School attendance zone recommendation will also be posted online so the public can submit comments electronically.
Pearson Ranch Middle School will be located on Pearson Ranch Road next to the existing Elsa England Elementary School and RRISD’s Transportation West Center. The middle school will also be next to the site of RRISD High School No. 6.
The RRISD board of trustees will hear the district's recommendation during its regular meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Round Rock High School Old Lecture Hall, 300 Lake Creek Drive. View the meeting's agenda here.
