AISD to Host Public Meeting on Boundary Changes Tuesday
By: BCHP News Staff
Updated: January 29, 2013
Abilene ISD will be hosting a public meeting to discussed the proposed boundary changes for AISD elementary schools.
The meeting will be held at Dyess Elementary at 6 p.m. and is open to all parents of students affected by the boundary changes.
To see if you are one of those who will be affected by the boundary changes if they are approved, click here to go to the story titled "AISD Proposed Elementary Boundary Maps for 2013." At the bottom of the story is a PDF document with the proposed boundary change maps.
The following are answers to common questions regarding the boundary changes provided by AISD:
1. Why is the district considering changing where my elementary age child goes to school?
The purpose of updating elementary attendance boundaries is to maintain equitable and appropriate student enrollment numbers at the various elementary campuses.
2. Do the proposed elementary boundary updates have any impact on where my student will attend middle school or high school?
The 2013 Proposed Elementary School Boundary updates do not have any impact on current middle school and high school attendance boundaries.
3. If approved, when would the new elementary boundaries become effective?
If approved, the new elementary boundaries would become effective with the beginning of the 2013-14 school year.
4. My student is a fourth grader. Will he be required to change schools next year as a 5th grader due to the boundary updates?
Your 5th grade student, but not his younger siblings, may continue at his former school. However, if your student is currently riding the bus, transportation services will not be provided.
5. My students are currently riding the bus to school. Will they continue to ride the bus even though they go to a different school?
Attendance boundaries are designed to support the neighborhood school concept. If the boundary updates result in your residence being closer to the newly assigned school than the previous school, it is possible your student may not be eligible to ride the bus. However, if your residence remains more than 2 miles from the newly assigned campus your student will remain eligible to ride the bus.
6. My childcare provider is currently in the Jackson attendance boundary. With the proposed change, my childcare provider will be in the Ward attendance boundary. Can my student continue to attend Jackson as a transfer on childcare basis?
Your student will be eligible to transfer to Jackson on a childcare basis if his/her childcare provider is located in the Jackson attendance boundary and all other criteria are met. Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, the district will require notarized confirmation of childcare provider services prior to approving childcare related transfers.
7. How often will the district be adjusting elementary school attendance boundaries?
To the extent possible, students in a given area should not be required to change from a school because of a boundary change more than once at the elementary level.
8. When will we know for sure if the current elementary boundaries are changing?
Once the public hearings are concluded, district administration will take into account the feedback received and prepare the final recommendation to the Superintendent. Upon approval from the Superintendent, the final recommendation will be presented to the Abilene ISD Board of Trustees for its consideration. The Abilene ISD Board of Trustees is tentatively scheduled to review the proposed elementary boundary updates at its February 11th meeting.
The meeting will be held at Dyess Elementary at 6 p.m. and is open to all parents of students affected by the boundary changes.
To see if you are one of those who will be affected by the boundary changes if they are approved, click here to go to the story titled "AISD Proposed Elementary Boundary Maps for 2013." At the bottom of the story is a PDF document with the proposed boundary change maps.
The following are answers to common questions regarding the boundary changes provided by AISD:
1. Why is the district considering changing where my elementary age child goes to school?
The purpose of updating elementary attendance boundaries is to maintain equitable and appropriate student enrollment numbers at the various elementary campuses.
2. Do the proposed elementary boundary updates have any impact on where my student will attend middle school or high school?
The 2013 Proposed Elementary School Boundary updates do not have any impact on current middle school and high school attendance boundaries.
3. If approved, when would the new elementary boundaries become effective?
If approved, the new elementary boundaries would become effective with the beginning of the 2013-14 school year.
4. My student is a fourth grader. Will he be required to change schools next year as a 5th grader due to the boundary updates?
Your 5th grade student, but not his younger siblings, may continue at his former school. However, if your student is currently riding the bus, transportation services will not be provided.
5. My students are currently riding the bus to school. Will they continue to ride the bus even though they go to a different school?
Attendance boundaries are designed to support the neighborhood school concept. If the boundary updates result in your residence being closer to the newly assigned school than the previous school, it is possible your student may not be eligible to ride the bus. However, if your residence remains more than 2 miles from the newly assigned campus your student will remain eligible to ride the bus.
6. My childcare provider is currently in the Jackson attendance boundary. With the proposed change, my childcare provider will be in the Ward attendance boundary. Can my student continue to attend Jackson as a transfer on childcare basis?
Your student will be eligible to transfer to Jackson on a childcare basis if his/her childcare provider is located in the Jackson attendance boundary and all other criteria are met. Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, the district will require notarized confirmation of childcare provider services prior to approving childcare related transfers.
7. How often will the district be adjusting elementary school attendance boundaries?
To the extent possible, students in a given area should not be required to change from a school because of a boundary change more than once at the elementary level.
8. When will we know for sure if the current elementary boundaries are changing?
Once the public hearings are concluded, district administration will take into account the feedback received and prepare the final recommendation to the Superintendent. Upon approval from the Superintendent, the final recommendation will be presented to the Abilene ISD Board of Trustees for its consideration. The Abilene ISD Board of Trustees is tentatively scheduled to review the proposed elementary boundary updates at its February 11th meeting.
