January vote likely on new attendance zones, district says
When the new Rodriguez Elementary campus opens, the attendance zones for elementary schools in the San Marcos CISD will change. The district has held a series of public meetings on rezoning, and on Monday night the SMCISD board of trustees heard about options and plans shaped by those meetings.
The eventual rezoning is not expected to affect class sizes, and the new school is not expected to have smaller classes than the current elementary campuses, Executive Director of Communications and Community Relations Andrew Fernandez said.
“Class sizes will be consistent throughout the district,” he said.
Currently, there are two rezoning plans. Bowie and Travis elementaries would gain capacity under each plan. Both plans would increase the percentage of economically disadvantaged students at Crockett from 54 to 64, at Mendez from 81 to 88 and at Travis from 82 to 83. Plan 1 would give Rodriguez an enrollment of 342 students with 70 percent of those students economically disadvantaged; Plan 2 would give the new campus an enrollment of 340 students with 75 percent economically disadvantaged.
Trustees Lupe Costilla and Anne Halsey expressed concerns about the rising percentage of economically disadvantaged students at Mendez Elementary, where the rate is already high. Costilla asked Fernandez how well attended the public meetings have been. He said each meeting drew about 20 people, except the meeting held at De Zavala Elementary, where five to 10 people showed up. He said the district has taken steps to make district parents aware.
“We’re doing our best to get in touch with all families,” he said, adding that he has received phone calls and emails about rezoning plans.
Trustee Kathy Hansen asked when the board will be voting on a rezoning plan. Fernandez said a vote is scheduled for the January meeting, but some flexibility is possible.
“If you feel like you need more time, if you want us to have more community meetings … it’s really up to the board,” he said.
