Campus Boundary Changes
-
After carefully evaluating enrollment trends, building capacity, financial impact of underutilization and current age of facilities, the difficult decision has been made to implement attendance boundary changes for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years. Extensive attendance boundary updates have not occurred in Irving ISD since 2011. In the last 12 years, there have been significant shifts in demographics, enrollment and facility needs.
For the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, the following school consolidation moves will take place:
-
Britain Elementary School will close and be rezoned into Schulze, John Haley and Townley Elementary School
-
A portion of students zoned to John Haley and Lively Elementary Schools will be adjusted to rebalance enrollment
-
-
Elliott Elementary School will close and be rezoned into Stipes Elementary School
-
A portion of Stipes and Brown Elementary Schools will be adjusted to rebalance enrollment.
-
2024-2025 NEW ZONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LOCATOR
For the 2025-2026 school year, the following school consolidation moves will take place:
-
de Zavala Middle School will be designated as a School of Opportunity, similar to the district’s high school choice programs (Singley Academy, Singley Collegiate Academy and South Irving Collegiate at Nimitz High School). Students will apply to attend this school.
- The School Choice program will be phased in for de Zavala beginning with students entering the 6th grade.
-
de Zavala will not be closing. However, incoming 6th graders will need to apply for acceptance. Students currently zoned for de Zavala will be rezoned to neighboring schools. 7th and 8th grade students currently attending de Zavala will not have to apply and will remain at the campus until entering High School.
-
Additional rezoning changes are in effect for Johnson, Crockett, Lamar and Bowie Middle Schools for better alignment to the high school feeder.
-
Determining Boundary Adjustments
-
The decision to move forward with closing two schools - as well as moving students from one campus to another - is not one the district takes lightly and one we know has a profound impact on parents, local neighborhoods, communities, district staff and, most importantly, students. However, opting against school closure under conditions of declining enrollment and economic imperatives is not a wise course of action. We must also be fiscally responsible stewards of taxpayers’ hard-earned funds and make decisions in the best interest of our students. Our research has indicated that some buildings are under-utilized, and we are incurring unnecessary expenditures with spaces that are not occupied.
When determining the boundary adjustments, the following factors were taken into account:
-
Enrollment balance and declining enrollment trends over the past 10 years
-
Financial impact/responsibility
-
Communities and feeder patterns
-
Balancing over/under capacity
-
Special program placement and enrollment
The result of declining enrollment in certain areas has been a strain on resources, contributing to student enrollment losses and exacerbating teacher shortages, with insufficient state legislative support for adequate public school funding compounding these issues.
Amid declining enrollment and other pressing factors, an opportunity has emerged to address underutilization and create a more cohesive educational experience. This includes rectifying misaligned feeder patterns in specific areas across the district. Aligning feeder patterns serves to strengthen the district's capacity to provide academic program continuity for student cohorts, foster a sense of community and proactively anticipate future educational needs. Through thoughtful boundary changes, we aim to optimize both the educational and financial aspects of our district, ultimately ensuring a high-quality learning experience for all of our enrolled students.
-
Welcoming Incoming Students
-
Though change can be challenging, we are committed to providing comprehensive support to facilitate a smooth transition for your child. This includes orientation sessions, meetings with teachers and staff, and opportunities for students to familiarize themselves with their new learning environment. Our top priority remains the well-being and academic success of every student. Learn more about each campus transition plan on the corresponding pages below.
Parent Welcome Meetings
Each campus affected by the boundary rezoning will be hosting an important welcome meeting for parents whose students will be attending a new school in the 2024-2025 school year.
Brown Elementary Thursday, April 4 5:30 - 6:30 PM John Haley Elementary Thursday, May 9 5:00 - 7:00 PM Lively Elementary Thursday, April 25 5:30 - 7:30 PM Schulze Elementary Thursday, April 11 5:30 - 7:00 PM Stipes Elementary Tuesday, May 21 5:00 - 7:00 PM Townley Elementary Thursday, May 9 5:00 - 7:00 PM
Preserving History & Saying Farewell
-
We understand that changing schools may disrupt relationships, daily routines and cherished attachments to particular people and places. In order to honor the rich history of Elliott and Britain Elementary Schools, committees will be planning an event as a way for families and alumni to say farewell and will incorporate campus artifacts for the closing schools into the receiving schools and the district Administration Building.
Campus Staffing
-
District leadership is committed to reassigning employment for employees impacted by the rezoning. Therefore, the changes will not result in the loss of jobs for campus staff. Students will continue to receive effective instruction on a daily basis, and student-teacher ratios will remain largely unchanged.
Campus Specific Information and Transition Plans
-
We want to hear from you!
For any additional questions please email: boundaries@irvingisd.net
-
Frequently Asked Questions on Boundary Changes
Why are boundary changes necessary?
The district's contemplation of boundary changes stems from the evolving landscape of educational options available to parents. In today's educational landscape, parents have a myriad of choices, ranging from neighborhood schools to transfers, charter schools, private schools, online education and homeschooling. While this diversity of choice empowers families, it has also led to resource allocation challenges for schools, because our primary responsibility is to educate and accept all students. The result has been a strain on resources, contributing to student enrollment losses and exacerbating teacher shortages, with insufficient state legislative support for adequate public school funding compounding these issues.
Amid declining enrollment and other pressing factors, an opportunity has emerged to address underutilization and create a more cohesive educational experience. This includes rectifying misaligned feeder patterns in specific areas across the district. Aligning feeder patterns serves to strengthen the district's capacity to provide academic program continuity for student cohorts, foster a sense of community and proactively anticipate future educational needs. Through thoughtful boundary changes, we aim to optimize both the educational and financial aspects of our district, ultimately ensuring a high-quality learning experience for all of our enrolled students.
When a boundary change is necessary, what principles guide its development?
It requires both long and short-term planning and balanced, responsible management of time, money and resources. Irving ISD has developed a number of decision-making processes to deal with zoning issues.The District employs in-house demographers to monitor growth in neighborhoods, new development and population trends. We take many factors into consideration when defining an attendance area. Since managing enrollment is our primary concern, we first look at:
-
campus projections and
-
capacity
Other factors include:
-
feeder patterns
-
community unity (i.e., not splitting a neighborhood)
-
geographic proximity
-
frequency of change for students
-
program accommodations and student needs
-
cost effectiveness
Who determines when and where boundary changes are needed?
Performance Outcomes & Data and Administrative Services tracks community development, projected enrollment and campus capacity for all schools. Through an ongoing process of data review, the team outlines plans for needed boundary changes. The Superintendent and Cabinet review each plan and decide on an Administrative Proposal.
What is the process for making boundary changes?
-
The Performance Outcomes & Data Department presents the Administrative Proposal for a boundary change to the Board of Trustees as an information item for review.
-
The Administrative Proposal is announced to the public through various methods, and feedback is requested:
-
Information is published through district channels such as the district website.
-
The Communications Department also distributes news releases on social media platforms and to local media.
-
-
The district hosts public hearing(s) through Town Hall events where stakeholders can review the Administrative Proposal, ask questions, voice opinions and submit written feedback.
-
The district reviews the public's written feedback and opinions voiced in the public forum. After studying the details, the district will provide a final recommended boundary change proposal to present in a report to the Board of Trustees. Following discussion, the Board votes to approve/disapprove and/or modify the recommended boundary change. Attendance areas for district schools are only established by the Board.
Once approved, do boundary changes apply to all affected students?
Yes. Irving ISD assigns students to schools according to the street address where the student resides. Once the Board approves a boundary, it applies to all students living within the attendance zone with the following exceptions.
-
Elementary School: Students entering 5th grade of transition year are grandfather protected - all other students required to transition.
-
Middle School: Students entering 6th grade must transition; 7th, 8th graders are protected (transition out). Follow the same lottery formula for high school school choice (weighted lottery)
-
No sibling grandfathering opportunity
If we are moved to a different school, will this be the only time?
Irving ISD reviews attendance zones each year to effectively utilize space, balance enrollment and meet the needs of growth. Boundary changes can occur in areas that are actively growing or declining, as well as older, more established neighborhoods. It is possible a neighborhood may be moved to a new or existing campus, depending on building needs and enrollment trends.
Will everyone - students, parents and staff - be completely satisfied with the new boundaries?
Changing schools can cause an emotional response. Our guiding principle is to provide the best and most equitable opportunities for all children. Schools within the district have the same general class sizes, the same general curriculum and comparable facilities. The same programs are provided throughout the district and guarantee a quality education at all campuses.
Can I request a student transfer?
Parents may submit a request to transfer their student/s to another campus within the district during designated windows of time. Guidelines are in place to ensure consistency in whether the requests are approved or denied.
Click here to learn more about the transfer process.
-
