Zoning Community Input

February 3, 2021

February 10, 2021

February 22, 2021 Board Presentation

March 10, 2021

March 24, 2021

Due to the rapid growth across Midlothian, MISD currently serves 112-square miles and six municipalities. MISD reviews enrollment and identifies the needs for additional elementary, middle and high schools.

Every time a new school opens, the district evaluates its boundaries to balance enrollment. The process takes approximately one calendar year as we review home developments and enrollment patterns, identify possible school zone options, review transportation needs and much more. Below is a standard timeline, but is customized each time the district goes through a rezoning process.

Building for MISD’s unprecedented growth requires a blueprint of its own. It requires both long-term and short-term planning and balanced, responsible management of time, finances and resources. MISD has developed a number of decision-making processes to manage rezoning issues.

Using professional demographers to monitor growth in neighborhoods, new construction and population trends, below outlines areas for consideration when developing school zones: 

• Capacity – In MISD, schools are built to accommodate:

• 750 elementary students from kindergarten through fifth grade 

• 1,000 middle school students from sixth-eighth grade

• 2,400 high school students from ninth-12th grade (our high schools with all phases built are designed to hold 2,400 students, but may open with fewer students)

• Stability – MISD looks at zones that can stay in place for the longest period of time - minimizing disruption to the least number of students possible. Due to rapid growth and high numbers of students, some areas may experience zoning changes frequently. However, MISD does have a policy giving the option for incoming fifth graders, incoming eighth graders and high school seniors to stay at their current campus to minimize change as much as possible. 
   

• Effective utilization of space – MISD strives to provide schools that can offer well-rounded programs and opportunities, while maintaining room for growth and not leaving other schools overcrowded or underutilized for an extended period of time.
   

• Proximity – MISD’s ultimate goal is for all students to attend the school closest to their neighborhood. However, in order to effectively and efficiently utilize space, that is not always possible. This is particularly the case in areas where MISD has schools in close proximity to one another. More than one school can become a consideration for a neighborhood or area due to location. This means that during the process of rezoning and addressing growth, students may be rezoned to an existing school or one that may not be the closest to them in proximity.
   

• Community – MISD knows that schools are the heartbeat of our community that create connections for children and families. We are sensitive to this important dynamic and are committed to providing equitable experiences throughout MISD, which allows for a smoother transition when change occurs. The curriculum is the same throughout MISD, the programs are consistent, and when a new school opens, at least one third of the staff will be veteran MISD teachers and staff. While MISD continues to consider future feeder patterns, the growth makes it increasingly difficult to have whole elementary schools feeding a particular middle school and then a particular high school.

Ultimately, our zones are approved by the Board of Trustees. District administrators or a Community Committee researches best options using the following data:

• Growth patterns

• Enrollment projections

• Neighborhood developments and number of current and projected students in each development

• Land barriers including water, highways, streets to assist in making a more natural boundary

• Transportation opportunities and challenges for school buses

• Community, parent and staff input

Based on the myriad sources of data, a recommendation is made to the Board of Trustees.

MISD believes in open and transparent communication. As part of this strongly held belief, the district offers a variety of ways including:

• Email  - zoning@misd.gs

• Participate in the community input opportunities that are virtual and face-to-face. Click here to make your reservation for a face-to-face appointment on March 4. Or, join us on March 3 for a virtual opportunity on Zoom and the MISD Facebook page.

It is not the most desirable situation, but in a fast-growth area while trying to balance enrollments at schools, it is sometimes the case that students of one attendance zone at the elementary level may be assigned to different middle schools. Likewise, students at a middle school are sometimes assigned to different high schools. Perfect feeder patterns are not possible at this time due to growth patterns.

MISD will continue to open schools to meet the needs of growth, which does not guarantee that your student will not experience another zoning change. While our district tries to prevent multiple changes, unfortunately it could happen.

In MISD, we strive to provide the best customer service to our students, parents and staff. However, zoning can be an emotional experience for our community. In each zoning change, we listen to the concerns of our parents and students and do our best to alleviate them. We may not make every parent happy, but we can guarantee that your student is a top priority no matter which school they attend.

When we open elementary and middle schools, every grade is offered. When the district opens a new high school, traditionally we open with one or two grade levels and then as each grade level rolls up, the high school will house freshman through senior classes in two to three years, depending on the number of grade levels offered when the campus opens.

When we expand a high school and new zones are in place, all grade levels are included unless you are going to be a graduating senior. Then, you may opt to remain at the current campus.

Our elementary schools all offer special programs including choir, physical education, library rotations and much more based on the school community. Our middle schools do provide some unique and specialized programs that may be different from one campus to another, such as jazz band depending on the school community.

Our high schools all offer the same courses including athletics and fine arts.

A student who will be entering the highest grade level for that campus during the year the zones go into effect, you may choose to remain at that current campus.  Any younger sibling of the student granted an intradistrict transfer shall be permitted to remain at the same campus for one year only. If your student chooses to remain at the campus, transportation services are not available. For purposes of this transfer, the written request must be submitted by the annual deadline set by administration to be effective for the following year.

To provide the optimal learning environment for elementary, middle and high schools, below outlines the district’s maximum capacity for each school. However, some capacities may be modified due to special education, English Language Learners, and other specialty programs.

Elementary - 750 capacity
Middle School - 1,200 capacity
High School - 2,400 capacity (after all high school phases have been completed)

March 3: Virtual via MISD Facebook and Zoom
12:00p.m. and 6 p.m.

March 4: Reserved face-to-face appointments

Lunchtime Appointments will be at A.H. Meadows Public & High School Library 922 S 9th St from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 
 

Evening Appointments will be at L.A. Mills Administration at 100 Walter Stephenson Rd. from 4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Reserve an appointment here! To accommodate social distancing, there are a limited number of available appointment times, so we encourage you to sign up as soon as possible. Spots will go on a first come, first served basis.

Any parent may email the committee at any time at zoning@misd.gs. Additionally, parents will receive an email with information related to the zoning recommendation and may participate in a poll.

Our zoning committee began meeting weekly in the fall to discuss boundaries. February 22 the committee updated the Board of Trustees and shared the proposed boundaries for community  input.  After community input, the committee will review input and make any adjustments they feel are necessary and will make a final recommendation to the School Board either in April or May.