Q&A from Boundary Meeting

We received cards with questions on them from the Boundary Info Meeting last Monday night.  I'm going to try and post them here.  I'll add to the list as time permits.

1. Can 5th grade be included in the new middle school?
That was considered as an option to relieve Clayton Elementary for one year, last year (which was in a similar position as we are this year.)  But no, this is not a long term solution that AISD would consider.

2.  How will we assess our boundary issues without knowing how other area schools are proceeding?
We have reached out to begin dialog with surrounding elementary schools, but they are just now getting started with the process, so we are ahead in planning and soliciting parent feedback.  The feedback through the survey will help the boundary reps determine what kind of plan the parents would accept.  Our boundaries will be redrawn in the next 6 months.  We will meet with all schools and their representatives starting October 13.

3.When redistricting occurs, which other elementary schools would likely absorb some Mills students?
Two likely elementaries that could absorb students are Kiker to our south and Patton to our north.  Both are underenrolled, but also have other schools on their borders that need relief (Oak Hill and Clayton.)  To our east are Cowan and Boone, which have been floated as schools that may take Mills students.  Boone's population tracks to different middle and high schools than our student population does.

How do these schools rank on TAKS scores?  How many are rated exemplary?
I'm taking this information directly from the AISD website, where TAKS scores and rankings are published for each campus.  Links are below
Kiker:  2008 - Exemplary http://www.austinisd.org/schools/details.phtml?id=075&opt=ratings
Patton: 2008 - Acceptable  http://www.austinisd.org/schools/details.phtml?id=092&opt=ratings
Cowan: 2008 - Recognized http://www.austinisd.org/schools/details.phtml?id=059&opt=ratings
Boone: 2008 - Recognized http://www.austinisd.org/schools/details.phtml?id=050&opt=ratings

Mrs. Butler requested that we point out that all the schools listed above are rated Exemplary for 2009.

What number of students do you feel is optimal when considering the realities of the available physical space?
Mrs. Butler has said she feels 900 students is optimal for Mills.

How about get rid of Pre-K?  Everyone else has to take care to find pre-k for younger children.  These classes take from lunchtimes and classrooms for special areas.
We considered this possibility last year, with a school-wide discussion last spring.  The children who attend Pre-K at Mills are offered free instruction based on their status: economically disadvantaged, English as second language or children of military servicemen and women.  We were able to get those students who wouldnt' attend Mills to be transfered back to their home campus, which reduced the number of Pre-K students on our campus.  Mrs. Butler has said she feels that moving Pre-K off campus would be a short term solution, because those children would come back to Mills for kindergarten the next year.  She also feels strongly about having them physically on campus to receive instruction.

Is there a way to ensure that all students at Mills belong here?
Yes, Mrs Butler required all current students in May 2009 to submit an electric bill along with their registration form in order to return to school in August. An electric bill must be in the name of the resident who lives at that address (unlike natural gas or water.)  Those who did not comply were not registered as returning students in the fall.  Although we don't have an official count, the CAC boundary committee estimates we lost about 30 students through this process.  However, it made little impact in our numbers overall (because we continue to grow).  I can try and get an official count from the front office.

When will Meridian be completed?
Meridian will open in August 2010.  It's under construction now.

Is Meridican considered a "neighborhood school" or will they be taking students from other areas?
I found out recently that the district has no policy on "neighborhood schools".  So I'm not sure it can be considered one.  The school is expected to draw students from Clayton, which is so overcrowded they had to send incoming kindergarten students (without siblings at the school) to Kiker this year.

Why was Meridian built to hold only 650 students?
Because that was the type of school approved in the bond election.  The district plans to build the school to accommodate a wing of new classrooms.  (Mills was not built with that option.)

Why is Kiker always underpopulated?
It historically hasn't been.  They were very overcrowded until Clayton was built and boundary lines were drawn about 4-5 years ago.  In fact, Kiker had a wing of classrooms added in recent years.

Is there a current plan to rezone Mills?
Not yet.  We might have maps in October.  Keep checking with the blog.

Will vertical tracking issues be resolved, if part of the Mills area tracked to another elementary school?  For example, if the NE portion of the Mills attendance zone tracks to Patton, will this area still track back to Bowie or Austin High?
It is my understand that boundaries for middle and high school will not be addressed in this boundary process.  So, for those neighborhoods that track to Small/Bowie, they would remain on that vertical track.  Moving children to Patton would not disturb those tracking patterns.  Moving children to Boone or Cowan would disturb those tracking patterns.