Georgetown Edition | August 2022

EDUCATION Harmony to build two campuses in growing city of Georgetown

2022 EDUCATION EDITION

BY HUNTER TERRELL

including funding. “While charters say they are provid- ing choice to parents, they are actually limiting choices for the majority of parents and students who choose to attend their public school district,” said Patti Everitt, an education policy consultant who focuses on charter school accountability. Everitt said this is because school

In the next four years Harmony Public Schools plans to open two Georgetown campuses—an elementary and high school—in an eort to oer more educational opportunities for families moving to the area. “Georgetown is one of the fast- est-growing communities in Texas, and it’s not surprising to see new

companies and schools wanting to move here,” Georgetown City Council Member Ben Stewart said. Ocials with Harmony said the

districts cannot cut costs dollar for dollar with the per-student loss in revenue. “Every student that transfers to Har- mony will increase the recapture

“TIME WILL TELL WHAT IMPACT HARMONY COULD HAVE ON GISD.” BEN STEWART, GEORGETOWN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER

Harmony Public Schools is proposing two Georgetown campuses, an elementary school and a high school. (Rendering courtesy Harmony Public Schools)

ENROLLMENT BREAKDOWN

HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

GEORGETOWN ISD

school system monitors growth trends to determine where there might be a need for an additional school option for local families. Harmony has purchased 28 acres of land between Blue Ridge Drive and FM 1460 for the new campuses. “We’re extremely excited to be expanding into Georgetown in order to bring new educational opportunities to families throughout the commu- nity,” Harmony Central Texas Area Superintendent Mustafa Altindag said. Eect on Georgetown ISD Tracie Seed, Harmony director of communications and marketing, said the organization is open to collaborat- ing with community groups, including school districts. However, advocates for public schools said charters detract from districts in a variety of ways,

payment that Georgetown pays to the state, so taxpayers will pay more but get less,” Everitt said. This school year, GISD demogra- phers are projecting enrollment to top 13,600 students as the community continues to grow. “I don’t know much about what Harmony has to oer compared to Georgetown ISD, but the district is projected to have record enrollment this coming school year,” Stewart said. “Time will tell what impact Harmony could have on GISD.” GISD declined to comment on this story. “Harmony will support the city’s growth and development by preparing its students to succeed,” Harmony Chief Financial Ocer Nihat Bayhan said in a letter to City Council. “The city is growing, and with that growth comes the need for schools.”

With seven locations in Central Texas, Harmony Public Schools aims to oer parents more choice. However, its total Central Texas enrollment remains lower than Georgetown ISD’s.

Local school districts are charged with serving every student residing in their boundaries. As Georgetown grows at record rates, enrollment is projected to increase.

Central Texas enrollment

Georgetown ISD enrollment

2020-21 2021-22

4,450

11,866

4,206

12,618

Projected enrollment

2022-23

4,490

13,666

Average campus enrollment: 601 students

Average campus enrollment: 742 students

SOURCES: HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, GEORGETOWN ISD, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

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GEORGETOWN EDITION • AUGUST 2022