KISD explains high school rezoning

Katy school officials presented key points of a high school rezoning recommendation to accommodate the projected overflow of students at Seven Lakes and the under enrollment at Taylor during a Feb. 4 workshop.
A vote on the proposal is expected at the Feb. 22 school board meeting.
The following land-use zones, parcels of land within subdivisions, could move from Cinco Ranch to Taylor: LUZs 66, 71A, 71B, and 71C. Moving from Seven Lakes to Cinco Ranch could be LUZs 76C, 77A, 77B, 79B, 79C, 79D, 79F and 79G.
District officials touted the plan. It reduces enrollment at Seven Lakes, balances enrollment between Cinco Ranch and Taylor and current high school students are not affected, said Tom Gunnell, chief operations officer.
This would put student enrollment projections at 2,988 for Cinco Ranch, 3,461 at Seven Lakes and at 2,710 at Taylor for the first year, Gunnell said.
As a side benefit, it reduces the number of portables, perhaps avoiding up to $1 million in costs," he said.
There was an outcry from some who attended the workshop that there was lack of information on the rezoning process. The district has communicated through eNews/Katy ISD updates, press releases and letters to parents, officials said.
The workshop included a segment where people could raise questions and present alternatives.
Questions and concerns ranged from having been rezoned multiple times, plunging property values caused by moving to a lower rated school and transportation logistics. Some parents demanded a response as to why other high school campuses such as Katy and Morton Ranch were not included in the rezoning scenario.
Marcy Canady, assistant superintendent for school and community engagement, said the response to all concerns would be posted on the district's Web site as soon as possible.
Under the recommendation, all current students would be required (grandfathered) to stay where they are through graduation. Transportation will be provided for current high school students.
The plan also creates pure feeder patterns from elementary to junior high and to high school for Creech and Williams elementaries, and Beck and McMeans junior high schools and Cinco Ranch and Taylor high schools.
District enrollment is expected to surpass 60,000 pupils next year.
helen.eriksen@chron.com