The Cy-Fair ISD student population is projected to reach 128,000 by 2022, which has district officials studying the various factors driving growth, ranging from availability of open land for future development to transportation.
Last fall, the district approved a contract with Population and Survey Analysist to conduct an in-depth demographic study for population and survey analysis and assistance in creating future attendance boundaries. In the past five years, CFISD has added 13,000 students to the district, bringing the total enrollment to more than 110,000.
"The biggest driver of [economic] growth in every school district since the downturn began in 2007 has been transportation," said Pat Guseman, president of Population and Survey Analysts. "In this district in particular, you have a unique opportunity to have an artery that will stimulate more housing along the Grand Parkway than any other location in Texas over the next decade."
CFISD is 69 percent built out, which is a large percentage for a district, Guseman said. About 21,000 housing units are projected to be built in the next nine and a half years in the far western portion of the district, according to the demographic study. Additionally, 2,000 housing units are projected north of Hwy. 290, while 11,600 are expected to be built on the western side of the Grand Parkway.
"We may have to upturn the data a bit for Bridgeland or other major subdivisions," Guseman said.
The types of housing will also differ from traditional houses in subdivisions, as more multifamily projects and mid- or high-rise buildings are planned for the area. Four multifamily complexes are in the works around the new H-E-B in Fairfield, while the master-planned community of Bridgeland will include multifamily units and office space in the coming years.
Another factor that had an influence on the growth in the school district is high immigration, Guseman said.
"That had such an important effect, because half of the growth in this district was due to high immigration from families who were able to move to the suburbs," Guseman said. "Also, the socioeconomic variables were there to attract this population leaving to go to Cy-Fair ISD."
The availability of large undeveloped parcels of land in the district has also attracted developers to want to build in the district, creating more housing options.
"The socioeconomic factors have remained stable, which is a challenge considering the rapid transition of the district," Guseman said.
