HPISD’s Boundary Rezoning Committee, comprised of parents and residents of the district, reached consensus on a plan for new elementary attendance boundaries during its Oct. 7 meeting. The committee’s plan will now go to the HPISD Board of Trustees for approval during its meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
“This has been an iterative process, and the end result is that we have a boundary map that we believe sets up all five elementary schools for success,” Committee Chairman Paul Rowsey said. “I truly appreciate both the way that our committee has gone about its work and the way our community has been involved in the process.”
The committee held seven meetings beginning in April. It has met weekly during the last four weeks to continue making adjustments to the plan. More than 800 comments were submitted through the district’s website that was then read by members of the committee.
The plan that will be submitted to the board used the following criteria developed at the beginning of the process:
- Attempt to evenly balance the numbers of K-4 students based on enrollment relative to building capacity, considering the number of sections, number of students, and percent of capacity.
- Create a boundary plan with long-term viability taking into account projected enrollment for at least 3-5 years.
- Create a boundary plan that provides efficiencies for operations (fiscal considerations).
- Create a boundary plan that provides contiguous attendance areas.
In addition, the committee took into consideration the following:
- Safety (i.e., traffic, crossing of major streets)
- Travel time for students
- Schools that foster a sense of community; seek to maintain as much continuity as possible with current attendance boundaries
- Community input
The new attendance boundaries will go into effect at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year when Highland Park ISD officially opens Michael M. Boone Elementary School as its fifth elementary school. Students currently enrolled in third grade will have the option of attending their current school or the new school to which they are zoned.