Boundary FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Rezoning
2017-18 Growth Boundaries
2017-18 Growth Boundaries
Some campus attendance zones will be modified during the 2017-18 school year to relieve overcrowding situations and to accommodate growth. This will result in some campus boundaries changing. Following is a list of FAQs to help explain the rezoning.
- Where are the new schools located?
- Mott Elementary is located on land just north of Cele Middle School.
- Weiss High School is located on Weiss Lane, southeast of Lake Pflugerville.
- The new Timmerman Elementary is located on Swenson Farms Blvd., just off Pecan Street.
- What school zones will change?
The Board will make the final decision on approving boundary changes. The following schools have been proposed for boundary changes: Hendrickson High School, Kelly Lane Middle School, Park Crest Middle School, Brookhollow Elementary, Highland Park Elementary, Riojas Elementary, Rowe Lane Elementary, and Dearing Elementary. - What if I don’t want my student to change schools?
Pflugerville ISD has a transfer policy through which you can elect to send your student to a school outside of their attendance zone, provided the school is not closed to transfers. These transfer applications have to be approved by the principal and the Executive Director of Student Affairs. Many factors are considered prior to approval, such as space within the building, classroom size, enrollment, and programs including, but not limited to, special education.
This doesn’t mean that if there is an open classroom, students can go to whichever school they want. The district will staff the campuses for next year based on enrollment projections and the new attendance zones. There must be room within the existing, staffed classrooms in order for a student to transfer to a school outside his/her attendance zone. The student transfer application is completed online, and the window opens in March 2017. Transportation is not provided for students who are on an approved transfer.
Please note that rezoning is designed to relieve campuses that are currently at or above capacity. If your student is rezoned to another campus, (s)he will not have an option to transfer back to their former campus. All schools that have students being rezoned to a different campus will be closed to transfers during the 2017-18 school year. - What impact will this change have on my child’s learning?
Our curriculum is consistent across all campuses, assuring all students equal access to high quality instruction. Changing schools can be an opportunity for students to grow. In PfISD, we pride ourselves on the success of all of our schools. Because all of our schools are outstanding places for students, changing campuses will not be detrimental to your student’s learning. - Will current students be grandfathered to remain at their current campus if the boundary change impacts their zoned campus?
Due to capacity constraints, the only grades that will be allowed to remain at their current campus in the event of a boundary change, will be rising 5th grade and 8th grade students (current 4th and 7th grade students, in their last year at the school). In addition, students currently attending Hendrickson HS who will be in 11th or 12th grade in 2017-18 will remain at Hendrickson until they graduate. - If I have a grandfathered student, may their siblings stay with them at the current campus?
No. Due to capacity constraints, siblings will not receive an exception to be grandfathered, and will be required to attend their newly zoned campus, or may take advantage of the transfer process to attend another open campus. Transportation is not provided to students on approved transfers. - Will transportation be provided if my grandfathered child chooses to remain at their current school after the boundary change?
No. Transportation is not provided for grandfathered students in elementary or middle school. Parents must provide their own transportation, unless special education transportation is provided through an ARD committee decision.
Hendrickson students who will be juniors and seniors will have transportation provided, because the boundary change does not apply to rising 11th and 12th graders. Weiss High School will only serve 9th and 10th graders. - If my children are attending a school with a boundary change, and are transfer students, may we apply for a continued transfer?
No. Boundaries are being changed to accommodate growth and to balance capacity. Schools whose boundaries are changing to relieve growth (Hendrickson HS, Kelly Lane, Park Crest, Riojas Elementary, Rowe Lane Elementary, and Highland Park Elementary) are closed to transfers for 2017-18. - My child is in the dual language immersion program at Riojas Elementary. Will they be allowed to remain there if they are impacted by rezoning?
Yes, if they are currently rising first through fifth graders. Entering kindergarten students will have the option of a dual language program at Mott Elementary. - If my child receives special education services and their current campus rezoning indicates they will attend a new school, will they be allowed to remain at their current school?
In most cases, no, as all campuses offer the full range of special education services. However, some students who receive highly specialized services will be assigned to the campus that best meets their needs. This, and their transportation, will be determined by the ARD Committee. - My child is retained in 4th or 7th grade, and is impacted by the boundary change. May they remain at their current campus?
No. They will go to the campus in their new attendance zone. Only students who are entering 5th or 8th grade in 2017-18 will be considered for grandfathering. - What if my child does not have enough credits to be classified as a junior or senior? How do you identify juniors and seniors who will be remaining at Hendrickson?
For the purpose of the attendance boundary changes, students will be considered juniors or seniors based on the year they enrolled. Hendrickson will continue to serve all students in grades 9-12 who are zoned to the campus. - My student is in the Marine Corps JROTC at Hendrickson and has been rezoned to Weiss High School. Will there be JROTC at Weiss High School?
No. If a student has been enrolled in JROTC during the entire school year 2016-17, they may apply for a special transfer to remain at Hendrickson. Students who receive this transfer may remain at Hendrickson until graduation, as long as they remain enrolled in JROTC. Transportation will not be provided to students on a JROTC special transfer. - I know the teachers in my student’s school. Will they still be there after the new schools open?
Staffing in each of the schools will be based on enrollment projections and the new attendance zones. Once the school board has approved the new zones, the district administrators and the Human Resources Department will work with campuses to determine any teacher movement. The district will also hire new teachers to keep up with the enrollment growth. - How will the district hire teachers for the new campuses?
Some new teachers will need to be hired to keep up with enrollment growth, but many of the teachers who will be working in the new campuses are already teaching in PfISD. - Why are students in my neighborhood potentially going to a different school than my child?
One of the main goals of the rezoning process is to balance student enrollment and to plan for future growth in our community. The District collaborated with demographers, who provided information about where new housing developments are planned or in the process of being built. In some cases proposed boundary lines were drawn to help keep schools balanced in high growth areas. - Will this change affect the bus routes?
PfISD has seen an increase in enrollment, and because the district is adding new schools, bus routes will be added and changed so that students can be transported to school if they live outside the 2 mile radius, or are in a designated “hazardous route.” PfISD and Durham School Services will continue to work closely in this transition. Information about when and where your student will be picked up will be communicated through the PfISD website, as we have done in the past. - I have a question not listed here. What do I do?
The District will host Community Input Sessions at each of the campuses that may be impacted by the rezoning. This is your opportunity to ask questions, as well as provide input that will be shared with the Board of Trustees prior to their finalization of the boundary modifications.
The following campuses will host Community Input sessions from 6-7 p.m., on the dates below. You may attend any session.
- Hendrickson HS PAC - November 30
- Riojas ES Cafeteria - December 5
- Kelly Lane MS Cafeteria - December 7
- Rowe Lane ES Cafeteria - December 8
- Park Crest MS Cafeteria - January 4
- Highland Park ES Cafeteria - January 5
- PfISD Administration Bldg - January 10 6:30 – 7:30
You may also email questions to boundaryfeedback@pfisd.net.