Northwest board members discussed plans to implement limited open enrollment in the next school year at a regular board meeting Dec. 8.

The gist

The district is looking to open the limited enrollment program for schools that have declining enrollment to avoid campus consolidations or school closures due to limited state funding, according to a district news release.

Schools would be chosen based on available capacity and would be revised annually, according to a presentation from NISD Executive Director of Communications Anthony Tosie.

“We’re always prioritizing our students who live in the district,” Tosie said during the presentation. “Even with that, some of our campuses in the Trophy Club area are a great example of still having capacity.”

Proposed requirements for the enrollment for students outside the district include:

• Passing grades for the two most recent school years
• Review of tardies and absences for the two most recent school years
• No significant disciplinary records up to district discretion
• Living no more than 30 miles from the requested campus

The district plans to open the program’s application process Feb. 1 through March 1 with an enrollment processing fee of $100 per student, potentially with a family cap. Families would be notified of school acceptance by April, according to the district, and would then have two weeks to signify intent to enroll.

The specifics

Recommended campuses for the program include Northwest High School; middle schools such as Chisholm Trail, Medlin and Tidwell; and elementary schools like Beck, Carter, Cox, Granger, Hughes, Lakeview, Nance, Peterson, Roanoke and Sendera Ranch.

The district said transportation will not be provided for any student in the program, including students with special education, or SPED, needs. Campus seats will still be prioritized for students who move into a school’s attendance boundary or staff joining the district who are also transferring students, according to the district.