LISD unveils attendance zone map

By LPR Staff

Editor/POST-REGISTER

As the Lockhart Independent School District continues to grow, the LISD Board of Trustees has big decisions to make. The largest and hardest of those will be determining how to assign children to the District’s five elementary schools.

On Monday, representatives of a community-based Attendance Zo

ne Committee presented a preliminary plan to the Trustees, which will draw the lines for student assignment.

The committee, which was not given a choice as to whether the zones would be drawn, but rather how those lines would be drawn. Additionally, the committee was not given options to discuss how any campus grandfathering would take place.

According to Committee members Smith and Morales much discussion of the committee centered around travel time and student safety.

Trustee Jessica Neyman asked the representatives what they felt was the largest issue the Board may face moving forward.

“The biggest concern we heard was how the grandfathering would take place,” Miguel Islas said. “What do you do with the child that goes to Clear Fork but lives in the Plum Creek zone now? That’s going to be the hardest decision for you to make, because parents are loyal to their schools.”

Rene Rayos said another factor in the group’s decision centered around travel time for the students.

“There are some kids that don’t get off the bus until after 6,” he said. They said the group took into account shaving time off youngsters’ school days when considering how the zone lines should be drawn.

As discussions continue, the Trustees will have to decide how grandfathering and assignments will take place, and are expected to act on the attendance zones next month.

The zones will take effecct prior to registration for the 2016-2017 school year, in connection with the opening of Alma Brewer Strawn Elementary.

However, the Board will continue to hear discussion from the community, prior to the vote. Additionally, the District has offered an interactive map on the website, which allows parents to enter their address to see their proposed attendance zone. The map is available at www.lockhartisd.org.