Spring - Klein Edition | February 2023

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One indicator Zonda Education used to predict Spring ISD enrollment is single- and multifamily housing being built within the district’s boundaries. While new housing typically increases district enrollment, charter schools remain an obstacle.

current school year. Zonda projects SISD will not reach prepandemic figures until the 2030-31 school year. “We are excited to see our enrollment begin to increase,” SISD Chief Financial Officer Ann Westbrooks said in a Feb. 7 email. Along with enrollment, the coronavirus pandemic affected daily student attendance in school districts statewide, which, in turn, impacted funding. According to the Texas Education Agency, state funding for schools is determined based on a basic allotment per student who meets an attendance threshold. In hopes of remedying these funding woes, Texas legislators filed bills in the 88th legislative session that would change the state funding mechanism so it is determined by enrollment. Pandemic problems After the pandemic hit in early 2020, SISD experienced enrollment decline, losing about 2,000 students. However, Gardiner noted pandemic- caused enrollment losses were experienced statewide. “Following COVID[-19] ... a lot of parents are making decisions with students. … We’re assuming homeschooling,” Gardiner said. Even prior to the pandemic, however, SISD was experiencing enrollment decline. In 2019, Zonda—then called Templeton Demographics—projected the district would lose more than 1,600 students by the 2028-29 school year. The main reason for this prediction was a growing presence of charter schools, Gardiner said in April 2019. Charter schools continue to be an ongoing challenge for public school districts statewide, Gardiner said as they receive government funding,

Subdivisions:

Multifamily developments:

Under construction

Future

Under construction

Future

Charter schools:

For every 10 homes , SISD expects to receive 5 students .

Existing Future

99 TOLL

Spring High School boundaries

There are 32 subdivisions actively building homes within SISD’s boundaries and 14 planned subdivisions . SISD has more than 250 units of multifamily homes under construction and more than 500 future units planned within the district’s boundaries. Within SISD’s boundaries, 1,472 homes became occupied and construction began on 1,458 homes as of the third quarter of 2022.

Pine Grove

Harmony Public Schools

Cypresswood Landing

enrollment growth is the housing market, Gardiner said, noting the boost in enrollment SISD saw this year is due to new housing added within the district’s boundaries. During a Jan. 5 presentation to SISD’s board of trustees, Gardiner said he expects to see strong housing development this year. “The housing growth that [SISD is] seeing right now is really strong, and I think it’s going to be beneficial to that community,” Gardiner said. According to Zonda, every 10 homes occupied within the district adds an average of five students to SISD’s population. Within SISD’s boundaries, 32 subdivisions are actively building houses and 14 additional subdivisions are expected to be added, according to Zonda’s report. In terms of multifamily housing, 250 units are currently under construction, and 500 more are expected in the future.

Dekaney High School boundaries

1960

N SOURCES: SPRING ISD, TEXAS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, ZONDA EDUCATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT Westield High School boundaries

but do not have geographic zoning restrictions for enrollment. Within SISD’s boundaries—which encompass parts of ZIP codes 77373, 77090, 77068, 77067, 77073 and 77014—there are 11 charter schools, according to the Texas Public Charter Schools Association. SISD has lost enrollment due to charter schools, Westbrooks said. School of Science and Technology- Champions is one of several free public charter schools within SISD’s boundaries. According to Communications Specialist Natasha Turner, the campus has about 700 students enrolled in grades pre-K-8.

School of Science and Technology’s enrollment is a mix of students who grew up attending and who transferred in from public school systems, Turner said. Over the next decade, SISD is expecting to face additional enrollment obstacles with the construction of multiple Harmony Public Schools campuses in master- planned community City Place, which is zoned to SISD. The charter school system will open its first campus before the 2024-25 school year. Future of enrollment One major factor that determines

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