By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News
The Leander ISD Attendance Zone Advisory Committee finalized its recommendations for elementary attendance zones late Monday. If voted on in December, it will affect nearly 400 projected students next school year from neighborhoods that go to Laura W. Bush Elementary and River Ridge Elementary in Steiner Ranch.
“Fast growing districts that bring in more families and more homes need to accommodate growth. Sometimes that means new schools, other times it means moving people around to accommodate growth where there is density,” said Veronica Sopher, LISD spokesperson.
Veronica Sopher, Leander ISD executive director of school/community relations.
At its Nov 4 meeting, the Attendance Zone Advisory Committee reviewed the comments from the two public meetings conducted in late Oct. All emailed communication and alternate scenarios were shared with the committee. Based on its review of this input and additional discussion, the committee came up with its final recommendations.
LWBE and RRE are the two schools affected in Four Points.
A projected 263 students would move from River Ridge to Bush from these neighborhoods:
Canyon Gate, Woodland Hills, The Legends, Hunters Green, Eagles Glen, Lakecliff Hills, Granite Bay, The Reserve, Hawk’s Canyon, Red Oak Valley, Shadestone Terrace and Shoreview Estates.
A projected 134 students would move from Bush Elementary to River Ridge Elementary from Summer Vista.
District-wide, 2,326 students are affected under the committee’s final recommendations.
LISD uses the October demographer’s report as a guide on the district’s growth.
“When the economy picked up and more and more families moved to the district, we looked at zoning and how to use our buildings most efficiently,” Sopher said.
LISD formed the Attendance Zone Advisory Committee a couple of months ago. The committee is made up of 25 residents who were selected through a blind process from over 200 who applied. They crafted the district’s options over the last several months.
The two public meetings hosted several hundred people each.
“It is evident that the committee worked very diligently and used all of the data available to them. Also it took into consideration community feedback including new ideas,” Sopher said.
The committee’s recommendation will be presented to the Board at its Dec. 5 meeting at Reed Elementary School. A citizen comment time will be provided at the meeting. A final decision by the Board regarding elementary school attendance zones is scheduled for action at its Dec. 19, also at Reed.
“Traditionally the board has voted on the recommendations that the committee presents because it is vetted so thoroughly,” Sopher said.