WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Waco ISD will start redrawing campus attendance boundaries for the upcoming school year for Alta Vista's planned closure.
- The district's survey for public input on attendance zones can be found here
- A committee made up of parents, teachers and other community members will review several attendance scenarios, before sending it to the board to make a decision, likely in April
- The next committee meeting is on Dec. 5
- More information on the attendance boundary overview can be found here
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"Attendance zone considerations are really going to be built around the new Kendrick and South Waco school as it relates to Alta Vista," said the district's demographer Bob Templeton, of consulting firm Zonda Education.
With the opening of the new Kendrick Elementary and expansion of South Waco next fall, Alta Vista Elementary is scheduled to close in June. Now, the question is: which of the two schools will those students attend?
The district now starting discussions on redrawing school attendance zones — something that hasn't been done in more than a decade. But with newer technology, the process should be faster than last time.
"Now when I work with the committee, I'll be able to do those boundary plans right there and they can immediately see the impact," Templeton said.
Right now, the district is in the community input phase. More than 1,000 people responded to a survey the district put online. It asked: what do people feel are the most important things to consider when changing school attendance boundaries?
Some responses included concerns about equal learning opportunities, keeping feeder patterns the same, so making sure students attend their zoned middle and high schools and making sure certain schools don't become overcrowded.
The district posted online “to the greatest extent possible” they will consider these factors, including natural boundaries, school programs and future needs.
A committee made up of parents, teachers and other community members will review several attendance scenarios. Then in the spring, the district plans to hold town hall meetings. Finally, the board will make a final decision on the attendance boundaries, likely in April.
