The new plan, designated as scenario two, rezones nearly 500 students, almost 300 students less than the original plan. The changes will take effect in the 2025-26 school year.
The plan now focuses solely on students impacted by the consolidation of Pinkerton Elementary last year and moving the Dual Language Immersion and International Baccalaureate programs. This will be achieved by pushing or exceeding the capacity of certain schools.
With the reconvening of the efficiency review committee Jan. 21, the reality is that the original plan may have resulted in rezoning families twice should the district decide to close additional schools, said Kristen Eichel, assistant superintendent for administrative services.
What’s happening
With the consolidation of Pinkerton Elementary, 75% of its students will be rezoned to Wilson Elementary and 25% to Austin Elementary. As a result of the Dual Language Immersion program shift, about 168 students will be rezoned to Denton Creek Elementary, according to district documents.
As a result of the closures and program shifts, the district originally planned to adjust multiple attendance zones to make space at the campuses, according to district documents.
In this initial plan, Denton Creek attendance zones were to be adjusted to Town Center, Cottonwood Creek and Lakeside elementary schools, and Austin Elementary attendance zones adjusted to Town Center and Lakeside. However, in the approved plan, the district will not rezone any of these schools and capacity will be pressed at multiple campuses.
The details
The 55 students in Hidden Valley Estates and 27 in Creek View neighborhood currently zoned to east side Pinkerton will be rezoned to Austin in the proposed plan. Wilson Elementary will absorb the remaining Pinkerton students not moving to Austin, and a small section of neighborhoods zoned to Wilson will be rezoned.
All students west of South Denton Tap Road currently attending Pinkerton Elementary will now go to Wilson Elementary. This includes the following:
- 31 students in Hunterwood
- 3 students in Old Coppell Town Homes
- 20 students in Big Cedar
- 5 students in Country States
- 2 students in Grand Cove Estates
- 7 students in Villas at Lost Creek
- 8 students in Old Coppell Estates
- 8 students in The Reserve at Coppell
- 9 students in Summit at The Springs
- 2 students in Villas of Southwestern
- 5 students in North Lake Estates
- 5 students in Avenue at Denton Tap
- 2 students in Hammond Town Homes
- 37 students in Main Street
- 4 students in Old Town Main Street
The impact
The approved plan maximizes several of the campuses’ capacity, but will still maintain the 22:1 student teacher ratio at the elementary level for most classes, Eichel said.
“We can have more than 600 students on these campuses. The buildings were built to house six grade levels, and when you look at 22:1 you can have up to 660 students in that configuration,” she said.
The district will allow limited transfer requests for families that want to remain at their zoned campus and will have plenty of room to accommodate transfers at the middle school level, officials said.
Also of note
In March 2024, CISD rezoned around 67 students residing in Cypress Waters apartments at the intersection of Wharf Road and Olympus Boulevard, and one student in The Flats, a section of townhomes down the street, to Cottonwood Creek Elementary to alleviate enrollment strain at Richard J. Lee Elementary. The initial plan to rezone these students back to Lee for the 2025-26 school year will still occur.
The district could shake up boundaries again in future years if officials pursue additional facility retirements as it continues the review process with the convening of the efficiency review committee Jan. 21.
