The overview
Trustees voted 7-0 to approve the measure during the board’s Feb. 5 meeting.
KISD Chief of Staff Dayna Hernandez said the rezoning effort aims to:
- Provide relief to enrollment numbers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Maximize the usage of district facilities at 95% utilization or below
- Defer the timing of future school construction
While Hernandez said the rezoning effort will not affect the timing of bond projects, she noted the plan will allow officials to defer the timing of construction of additional facilities in the future.
How we got here
Hernandez said rezoning efforts have been in the works since March, noting the district has worked with officials from demographic firm Population and Survey Analysts to gather information on current and projected enrollment numbers for each campus.
Additionally, Hernandez said a rezoning committee comprised of 170 parents, students, teachers and principals representing every elementary and intermediate school in the district met on eight occasions. She said the committee submitted a total of four proposed rezoning maps for both elementary and intermediate schools that were then submitted for community review.
The district has reviewed more than 1,600 pieces of feedback from community members, she said.
A closer look
Hernandez said the biggest area of concern for future growth was in the northern portion of the district near the Grand Parkway.
“There was a lot of stability in the south end of the district,” Hernandez said, noting the proposal would push many of the boundaries of northern campuses further south.
According to an October PASA report, around 1,000 housing units are projected to be built in the northeastern portion of the district in City Place in the next 10 years. Additionally, developers purchased several tracts of land along Gosling Road north of the Grand Parkway with plans to build residential housing.
Hernandez said most of the proposed changes in the rest of the district are aimed at evening out enrollment among campuses.
Brill and Theiss elementary schools—which are located in the southwest corner of the district—are operating at 119% and 109% capacity, respectively, PASA data shows. Under the proposed rezoning plan, capacities at Brill and Theiss are projected to drop to 87% and 99% in the 2024-25 school year, respectively.
What’s next
KISD officials said families residing in the newly rezoned areas will receive detailed communication about the specific changes and how they will impact their children. Officials said campus principals will arrange welcome nights and opportunities for families to visit their newly zoned school.
Hernandez said she believes the rezoning plan puts the district in a good position moving forward.
“When you're rezoning 43 schools, 4,400 streets and close to ... 25,000 kids that were a part of this process, you need to make sure you don't make a mistake along the way,” Hernandez said. “We used the most reliable data from the expertise that we have to make the best decisions for the school district and the resources we have.”
For a comprehensive view of the new attendance zones and additional information, visit www.kleinisd.net/zoning.
