Rezoning in Katy ISD
-- Posted: December 04,2007 | Katy Independent School District
Changing school attendance boundaries can be a very emotionally charged process. Fast-growth school districts like Katy ISD must work through this procedure many times over many years as we open new schools in response to growth. The reason is simple. Katy is an attractive area with a highly regarded school district. As a result, families are moving here and bringing approximately 3,000 new students, at various grade levels, each and every year. Despite our best efforts, we cannot build schools fast enough in enough locations to avoid experiencing recurring changes in attendance boundaries.
Research and experience have proven that one of the most critical prerequisites for a top-quality school system is a top-quality community support system. Katy ISD is a textbook example of that principle. We know that parents in Katy care greatly about their children's educational opportunities and environment, evidenced by our extremely healthy and enviable volunteer, partnership and community involvement programs.
We don't take community support lightly. The needs of our students and our ability to provide quality learning experiences for them go far beyond the rezoning timeline and cannot be risked subject to conditional support. Through all challenges that come our way, we must ensure that our common goal remains to act in the best interest of our children and our community.
The current rezoning process was sanctioned by the Board before the zoning committees began their work. Committee members -- parents who represent the various land use zones (LUZs) -- have spent many hours reviewing and discussing the data in the public arena. Those not on the official committees will have an opportunity to share their observations and/or concerns at the hearings scheduled this week. The committee will meet again to consider this input, and determine if any substantial concerns are compelling enough to warrant a change in the preliminary recommendation. Because ultimate authority for rezoning rests with the Board of Trustees, the committee is charged with presenting a final plan to the Board for consideration and possible adoption.
We are very much aware of current positions and concerns. Those who have been in Katy for a while may recall similar emotions and experiences. Yet, without taking any current concerns lightly, the result of past rezoning has consistently been the maintenance of a highly regarded school district that remains attractive to quality families. It is our expectation that any legitimate concerns raised at the public hearings will be carefully considered by the rezoning committees. It is our fervent hope that the final decision will be accepted without drawn-out delay. Then our community can turn its undivided attention to creating solid support for our schools and providing top-quality learning experiences for each and every student blessed to be in this wonderful place we call Katy.
Katy Independent School District,
You can contact Katy Independent at:
281.396.6000
communications@katyisd.org
http://www.katyisd.org
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