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Board works toward compromise on high school zoning
Map courtesy of Plano ISD: Plano ISD trustees appear to have settled the senior high redistricting debate by picking an option which would balance enrollment at Plano West and Plano Senior by sending all students from Schimelpfenig Middle School to Clark High School, and then on to Plano Senior. Previously students had the option of attending either Clark or Jasper High, a feeder school for Plano West. If the plan is approved, students living in the green area will attend Plano West, while students living in the blue area will attend Plano Senior and students in the purple area will attend Plano East.
By Bill Conrad, bconrad@acnpapers.com
PLANO -- After months of debate, the Plano ISD Board of Trustees appears to have settled on a plan to help balance enrollment among the district's three senior highs.
Instead of a radical redesign of district boundaries or adding a fourth senior high school as was previously suggested, the trustees are considering a plan that would simply shift one middle school. The move would affect a minimum number of students, something Superintendent Doug Otto said was his goal when the procedure began.
The high school zoning plan approved in 2009 resulted in projected enrollments at Plano West rising from 2,100 this year to nearly 3,500 in 2014-2015. In comparison, Plano East's enrollment would drop from 3,100 to 2,200 in the same time period. Trustees reopened the zoning issue after concerns were raised by parents that the size of West would adversely affect student learning.
Enrollment figures presented by Richard Matkin, the district's associate superintendent for business services and the administrator spearheading the redistricting research, showed that the third option would have Plano Senior and Plano West reaching a maximum of about 3,000 students by 2019-2020. Plano East would have 2,400 students at the same time, but with most of the district's project growth coming in the eastern sector, the student numbers at East should continue to rise.
The proposal would also allow the district to save about $7 million. The 2009 redistricting plan called for $17.3 million to be spent at Plano West to expand the school to house 3,500 students. With the future capacity at West lowered to 3,000 students, the district would only need to spend $10.4 million for upgrades to the fine arts department and cafeteria. Board President Tammy Richards, who was in favor of reopening the realignment debate, said she supported Option 3.
"Usually in education to help kids you have to spend money," Richards said. "I think [Matkin] presented an option where we can save $7 million and actually come up with a plan that provides more equity in education."
Trustee Michael Friedman said Option 3, in addition to making the most sense financially, allows for each side of the redistricting debate to get what they want.
"The resounding message that we got [at the public hearings] was fiscal responsibility," he said. "[Option] No. 3 certainly gives us fiscal responsibility and moves us toward balancing the schools. It is almost a $7 million savings ... To me it looks like we could all give a little and all get a little and move this board forward."
Missy Bender said she would be in favor of Option 3 if the affected families were OK with the move. She said any changes to the students at Schimelpfenig should make have a positive impact, not a negative impact.
Carrolyn Moebius, who like Bender has not previously spoke in favor of making changes to the alignment patterns, said she could support Option 3. She said whatever the board does, it needs to do it quickly because they are running out of time.
Two options that retained the option zone didn't gain much support because they required the full $17.3 million build out of Plano West. A fourth option which included changing the feeder patterns of all three senior high schools was also discussed, but will not be further researched.
The board's next meeting is Oct. 4.
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