EDUCATION Northwest ISD board of trustees change attendance boundaries
GROWTH LEADS TO CHANGE Northwest ISD proposed changes to attendance boundaries ahead of the 2023-24 school year the to better handle student population within the district. New schools Attendance numbers by year
BY MARK FADDEN
fastest-growing area of the district, providing relief for Adams and Wilson middle schools in Haslet. Additionally, boundary changes to provide relief for Pike Middle School’s surging enrollment will affect Chisholm Trail and Medlin middle schools in Rhome and Trophy Club, respectively. While NISD will not open a new high school campus until 2026 or 2027—contingent upon voter approval of a future bond proposal to meet that timeline—abun- dant growth in the V.R. Eaton High School zone requires relief for that campus. Both Northwest and Byron Nelson high schools will be affected as Northwest will take a portion of Eaton’s zone, while Byron Nelson will take a portion of Northwest’s zone to best provide balance across the three comprehensive high schools. As part of the attendance boundary recommendation process, once these initial recommendations were made, district administrators conducted four community meetings in January to discuss and re-evaluate them. The following changes were made
PREDICTED ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ENROLLMENT 1 Carter
Northwest ISD attendance bound- aries are set to change this fall. As the fastest-growing district in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, student enrollment in NISD increases by approximately 2,200 students annually, according to the district’s website. As part of Proposition A of the 2021 bond election, two new elementary schools and one new middle school are being constructed. In addition, Hatfield Elementary School, Seven Hills Elementary School and Pike Middle School are all being replaced with new schools. Due to the rapidly increasing student population along with these new schools being built, NISD will rezone attendance boundaries at all campus levels for the 2023-24 school year. District administrators met with Zonda Education, the district’s demo- graphics consultant, as well as prin- cipals at the campuses that would be affected by possible changes to their attendance boundaries several times in 2022 to discuss attendance bound-
CURRENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 1 Haslet
850 883 1,154 1,404 650 603 647 719
850 373 455 540 850 288 388 521 850 557 691 824 650 586 630 701
2 Justin 3 Lance
2 Daniel 3 Haslet 4 Justin 5 Lance
850 821 950 1,133 4 Sendera Ranch 850 680 583 574 5 Thompson 850 820 896 961
850 550 579 630 6 Sendera Ranch 850 775 731 750 7 Thompson 850 678 756 825
PREDICTED MIDDLE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT 1 Adams 2 Chisholm Trail
CURRENT MIDDLE SCHOOLS 1 Adams 2 Chisholm Trail
1,200 1,382 1,505 1,621 1,100 676 773 861 1,200 991 1,023 1,015 1,100 1,155 1,226 1,356 1,200 1,414 1,520 1,644
1,200 965 1,058 1,145 1,100 755 859 960 1,200 1,069 1,107 1,110 1,100 996 1,054 1,160 1,200 899 958 1,024 1,200 934 1,011 1,098
3 Medlin
3 Medlin
4 Pike
4 Pike
5 Wilson
5 Wilson
6 Worthington
Evening out numbers The proposed changes lower enrollment numbers at Eaton, while Northwest and Byron Nelson increase.
PREDICTED HIGH SCHOOLS ENROLLMENT 1 Eaton
CURRENT HIGH SCHOOLS 1 Eaton
aries. In December, a recommendation for the 2023-24 academic year was made to the board that included the following atten- dance boundary changes, according to the district’s website: The
3,200 3,278 3,519 3,788 3,200 2,816 2,837 2,855 2,500 2,281 2,481 2,640
3,200 2,833 2,999 3,176 3,200 2,907 2,955 2,996 2,500 2,635 2,883 3,111
2 Nelson
2 Nelson
to the original proposal: The existing Justin Elementary School boundary line south of FM 407, including Meadow- lands, will remain zoned for Justin. This change only affects elementary school boundaries. Avery Ranch, Falcon Ridge, Guy James Ranch and Willow Crossing elementary schools will remain
“TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS THAT FIT WITH THE DATA IS A REMINDER THAT NORTHWEST ISD IS VERY STUDENT- CENTERED AND VERY RESPONSIVE TO OUR COMMUNITY.” MARK FOUST, NORTHWEST ISD SUPERINTENDENT
3 Northwest
3 Northwest
SOURCE: NORTHWEST ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
administrators also recommended transfer options remain at existing campuses. Students starting fifth grade next school year would be eligible to remain at their existing elementary school. Students starting eighth grade next school year would be eligible to remain at their existing middle school. Students starting 11th or 12th grade next school year would be eligible to remain at their existing high school. Students choosing to remain would not receive bus transportation, and younger siblings would not be eligible. Those policies are standard when rezoning atten- dance boundaries that are recom- mended for approval, according to NISD’s website. All students who will be sopho- mores in the 2023-24 school year would also be allowed to remain at their campus under the proposal.
As with all students who are eligible to remain at their campus and do so, district-provided transportation would not be offered, and families must submit a transfer request, according to the district’s website. Tim McClure, NISD assistant super- intendent for facilities, stated trying to keep ahead of the development in NISD is a game of chess. McClure mentioned while Pike Middle School is getting a new facility that has increased capacity from its 1,100 students to 1,200, “they’re going to spend a couple years pretty tight until we can get that 2026 middle school open.” McClure stressed the importance of getting feedback from the commu- nity to help address the “ping-pong” effect that has occurred where children have moved because of the rapid development of the district.
district will open Molly Livengood Carter and Johnie Daniel elementary schools next year. Carter Elementary School’s opening will provide relief for Haslet, Sendera Ranch and Thompson elementary schools. Additionally, a portion of the Prairie View attendance boundary without students will be rezoned to Carter to plan for future develop- ment. Daniel Elementary School’s opening will provide relief for Justin and Lance Thompson elementary schools. C.W. Worthington Middle School will open next year in the
zoned for Pike Middle School. This change only affects middle school boundaries. In Sendera Ranch, the existing streets next to Wilson Middle School, such as Enchanted Sky Lane, will remain zoned for Sendera Ranch Elementary School and Eaton High School. This change affects both elementary school and high school boundaries. District
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KELLER - ROANOKE - NORTHEAST FORT WORTH EDITION • FEBRUARY 2023
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