ADDRESSING OVERCROWDING
DRIPPING SPRINGS — Dripping Springs ISD is continuing to look at the possibility of allowing students to temporarily transfer out of overenrolled campuses for the 2023-24 school year.
The student enrollment at Dripping Springs Elementary School, Walnut Springs Elementary School and Sycamore Springs Middle School is exceeding functional capacity. As a continuation of last week’s discussion, the DSISD Board of Trustees reviewed allowing transfers to the following campuses that have available capacity: Cypress Springs Elementary School, Rooster Springs Elementary School, Sycamore Springs Elementary School and Dripping Spring Middle School.
“When you look at our campus growth, you’re looking specifically at Dripping Springs Elementary, Walnut Springs Elementary and Sycamore Springs Middle School all being over 11.5% [annual] growth,” said Superintendent Dr. Holly Morris-Kuentz in her presentation to the board. “While the district is growing by about 5.5% and growing pretty evenly between elementary, middle and high school, when we look at certain campuses, those campuses are really where we are seeing a lot of growth.”
Morris-Kuentz said that the purpose of the temporary transfers is to reduce student numbers at overenrolled campuses and maximize facilities to efficiently use the district’s resources.
“Some of what that means for us is that when we are looking at these transfer approvals, they are going to be staffing neutral. If we have a grade that has available seats in it or extra space where we could move a student over who is requesting to, we will accommodate that,” Morris-Kuentz said. “But if it means we have to move a teacher and add a teacher and be inefficient, then we will not do that.”
She added that parents will have some choice, but transfers are not guaranteed with an application or ongoing after this year.
“You will have the option to apply, but it’s not a guarantee that it will be available. Because these campuses will continue to grow, they will continue to have capacity issues, which means even for the following year, there may still be capacity issues,” she said. “You might be able to transfer this year, but if you are in third grade, you might not be able to transfer in fifth grade. These are kind of on a first-come, first-serve basis and they are only as we have space.”
Morris-Kuentz also listed important considerations that parents should know:
• Students must live within the DSISD boundaries
• Transfers will be considered in the order in which they are received
• Transfers will be based on campus and grade-level availability
• Applications for transfers will be submitted annually and will be evaluated for space availability independently each year
• Transfers are for a full academic year. A student may return to their zoned campus at the completion of the academic year for which the transfer was approved
• Students moving on to middle school will return to their assigned zoned secondary campus
• District transportation will not be provided for transfer students except as provided by law
Closing out Morris-Kuentz’s presentation, she said that the temporary transfer applications will be accepted from May 1 to May 26. Requests will be evaluated in the order they are received and parents will be notified of the district’s decision by Aug. 1.
Trustee Olivia Barnard said that when the policy goes out to families, the district needs to be clear in its language so there is no confusion.
“When we do formalize the policy, assuming that we do, because this is so much work for our departments, that we make it clear that there is not a reconsideration process,” Barnard said. “We just kind of close the gap.”
Trustee Stefani Reinold said that she is concerned about what the community’s response will be.
“I’m just more concerned with how it’s going to be perceived in the community for those families who potentially don’t get chosen and then some people do get chosen, and maybe they live on the same street,” Reinold said.
Morris-Kuentz responded that it will not be a win-win for everybody.
“I do think there will be some people who don’t apply because it doesn’t work for them or who apply and aren’t able to get in because of space,” she said.
Reinold said that because DSISD is a fast-growth district and overenrolled campuses could still happen 10 or 20 years down the line, it would be helpful to record how the temporary transfer process goes for future trustees and district staff.
No action was taken as it was a presentation item. The board is set to meet again at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 17 for agenda review.
