The overview
The new boundaries, which were approved in December, changed the district map for elementary and junior high schools to account for a pair of new campuses in the upcoming school year.
Those new schools are Barbara Bennett Elementary School and Iowa Colony Junior High School. Meanwhile, a number of AISD campuses are either reaching or have surpassed capacity, said Wil Kennedy, a member of the district’s boundary advisory committee, at a November board meeting.
The new map will replace a set of boundaries approved just one year ago, as the district has continued to see growth, Assistant Superintendent Rory Gesch said. That growth has included more than 1,000 new students in each of the last several years—and projections show not much in the way of slowing down.
“We’re trying to maximize the use [of our facilities],” Gesch said. “Even through [the pandemic], we were able to stay steady, even when several districts lost enrollment.”
To view the elementary school boundaries, click here.
To view the junior high boundaries, click here.
The context
A number of schools over the next 10 years are expected to reach capacity due to the district’s growth. The boundaries—along with the new schools—are part of the plan to help remedy that challenge.
Seven of the district's schools are expected to hit capacity by the 2024-25 school year with the district’s existing boundaries, according to district documents.
Looking ahead
The two new schools are some of the last projects from the district’s 2018 bond. Also at the December meeting, the board approved the creation of a new citizen’s advisory committee to conduct a review of several things, including:
- Educational programs
- Enrollment trends
- Current facility capability and conditions
“It’s going to be listening to the community voice about what we need and if we need another bond, and when that would be on the timing wise,” Gesch said.
