Applications are due May 26
DRIPPING SPRINGS — Due to three campuses exceeding functional capacity, Dripping Springs ISD launched its Temporary Transfer Program last week.
For the 2023-24 school year, parents may request a transfer of their student(s) out of Dripping Springs Elementary School, Walnut Springs Elementary School and Sycamore Springs Middle School into one of the following campuses: Cypress Springs Elementary School, Rooster Springs Elementary School, Sycamore Springs Elementary School and Dripping Springs Middle School.
Conversations about the transfers started at the DSISD Board of Trustees agenda review meeting held on March 20 and continued to the following week on March 27. The primary purpose of the Temporary Transfer Program is to address the exponential growth in the district.
All three campuses that are over capacity will have portables next year and currently, they are all over 11.5% annual growth, said Superintendent Dr. Holly Morris-Kuentz during the board meetings.
“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,” she said.
Morris-Kuentz emphasized that a temporary transfer will be done on a year-by-year basis and families would need to apply every year. This is a short-term solution.
“It’s going to be based on availability every year,” Morris-Kuentz explained. “It’s not guaranteed forever and it’s also not guaranteed for after we attendance [rezone]. If we are looking at opening a future campus or if we have the need to rezone next year because things don’t look like we have future campus options, then we would need to be rezoning anyways. At that point, when we would rezone, those students would revert to our policy and to their zoned school.”
To apply for a transfer:
• Students must live within the boundaries of DSISD. Proof of residency is required and must be included with the transfer request. This can be a current lease agreement and a current electric bill or a settlement statement with signature page/warranty deed and a current electric bill or a current tax statement indicating Homestead Exemption.
• Transfers will be based upon campus and grade-level availability.
• Applications must be submitted annually and will be evaluated for space availability each year.
• Transfers are for one full academic year. A student may return to their zoned campus at the completion of the academic year for which the transfer was approved.
• Upon completion of elementary school, transferred students will return to their assigned zoned middle school campus.
• District transportation will not be provided for transfer students except as provided by law.
Applications for the 2023-24 school year will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Friday, May 26 and requests will be considered in the order in which they are received. Parents will be notified of approval or denial by Aug. 1.
Requests must be made using the application form found at bit.ly/44IqKup.
