SW Elementary Overcrowding Options

SOLUTION TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OVERCROWDING -
ONE-YEAR ALTERNATIVE GRADE STRUCTURE PROPOSED FOR NEW SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL

To relieve overcrowding at several Southwest Austin elementary schools, AISD Superintendent Pat Forgione has proposed a one-year alternative grade structure for the new Southwest middle school that will open in Fall 2009.

For the 2009-2010 year only, Dr. Forgione has proposed to AISD Trustees that the new Southwest middle school be opened as an "intermediate center" for grades 5 and 6. Students from Clayton Elementary and other schools in the as-yet-undetermined attendance area for the school could attend.

The opening of the new Southwest middle school in Fall 2009 will provide much-needed relief to Small and Bailey middle schools. Elementary overcrowding in the area also will be relieved - but not until 2010 - by a new elementary school to be opened in the Meridian development. Currently, Mills Elementary is at 135 percent of capacity and Clayton at 113 percent.

The school is located at 7412 Slaughter Lane.

Details of proposed grade structures for the school - as the intermediate grades 5-6 model, and as a traditional grades 6-8 model - are:

  • ALTERNATIVE #1 - For the 2009-2010 school year only, open the campus as an intermediate center for grades 5 - 6.

    2009-2010 - Sixth grade students who live in the new Southwest Middle School attendance area (as yet undetermined), and fifth grade students from Clayton Elementary School who live in the new Southwest Middle School attendance area enroll in the new school. Fifth grade students at other elementary schools assigned to the Southwest Middle School have the option to remain at their elementary schools or to attend the new school. The school will not include grades 7 - 8 during the 2009-2010 school year only.

    2010-2011 - The new school's grade configuration becomes 6 - 8. All sixth and seventh grade students in the Southwest Middle School attendance area enroll in the new school. Eighth grade students in the attendance area may enroll in the new school or complete their last year of middle school at Bailey or Small. All fifth grade students remain at their home elementary schools.

    2011-2012 - All sixth through eighth grade students in the attendance area enroll in Southwest Middle School.

The advantages of this proposal are that:

  • The school culture is gradually developed and fostered.
  • Student overcrowding is offset for one year at Clayton Elementary School and other schools assigned to the new Southwest Middle School.
  • Savings occur from not having to acquire additional portables for overcrowded elementary schools. There is no viable property to add portables to or add a satellite center for fifth grade students at Clayton Elementary School.
  • Having classes inside a new school facility is preferable to having classes in portables.
  • This approach offers a stronger opportunity to build academic success for all students.

The disadvantages of this proposal are that:

  • Seventh grade students will wait one year before enrolling in the new middle school.
  • Seventh grade students will attend two middle schools during their middle school experience.
  • Students in grade 8 will not attend the new middle school.
  • Siblings may have to attend two separate middle schools.


  • ALTERNATIVE #2 - Open the campus as a middle school serving grades 6 - 8

    2009-2010 - All sixth and seventh grade students in the new Southwest Middle School attendance area (as yet undetermined) enroll in the new middle school. Eighth grade students in the new Southwest Middle School attendance area may choose to attend the new middle school, or they may complete eighth grade at the middle school they are currently attending in 2008-2009.

    2010-2011 - All students in grades 6 - 8 in the new Southwest Middle School attendance area attend the new middle school.

The advantages of this proposal are that:

  • Students in grades 6 - 7 immediately enroll in their new middle school.
  • Students in grade 8 have a choice of enrolling in the new middle school or completing middle school at their current home campus.
  • Parents may elect to keep all children at their current middle school or the new middle school.
  • The school culture is gradually developed and fostered.

The disadvantages of this proposal are that:

  • This proposal offers no relief for the severe overcrowding at Clayton and other elementary schools in the area.
  • This approach may have an immediate impact on the stability of staff at surrounding schools.

Parents may leave comments by clicking below, or leave a recorded comment on a designated telephone comment line, 414-SWMS (7967).

The Board is tentatively scheduled to make a final decision on these proposals on Monday, January 26.

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