Collin County is one of the fastest growing areas in the country, and Wylie is a significant contributor to that growth. Over the past several years, we have seen a substantial increase in our population; and, we expect that trend to continue. While we are excited to see what the future holds, we know that we will face challenges along the way. We are working hard to ensure that plans are in place which will allow for seamless transition into the future.
A goal of the Wylie ISD Board of Trustees is to manage growth that provides functional equity, financial responsibility, and assurance of all student needs. Thanks to our taxpayers, we are prepared. In 2014, you voted for a bond that accommodates much of the growth which will take place between now and the 2019-2020 school year. Although Wylie ISD is not as large as some surrounding school districts, it is a sought-after place for developers and home owners. In the midst of meeting the demands of those wishing to live within our attendance zones, developers are quickly running out of available space to build new homes. This is for good reason. Wylie ISD ranks number two behind Highland Park ISD for the number of STAAR academic distinctions awarded by the Texas Education Agency and was highlighted in the 2017 edition of Money Magazine.
In the publication, the city was recognized as being one of the “best communities to raise a family” and the school district was noted for contributing to that distinction.Growing school districts bring with them occasional changes in school zone boundaries. Unlike most fast-growing districts, Wylie ISD attempts to change these boundaries as rarely as possible. However, it is sometimes necessary. A few elementary campuses are approaching student capacity limits that will require limited rezoning. Below are two proposed boundary zone changes the Wylie ISD trustees will soon consider. For more than a year, these proposals have been considered and reviewed with a few principles that guide the school rezoning process.
Our Principles
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We start by making decisions from the eyes of parents and taxpayers.
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We work to ensure that we are impacting as few current (if any) families as possible.
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We do our best to ensure students maintain high school feeder patterns.
WHITT ELEMENTARY ATTENDANCE ZONES
Recently, developers began the process of planning three subdivisions that are already underway or will begin sometime in the near future. These parcels of land are zoned in the Whitt, Draper, Cooper, and Wylie High attendance zones. Because Whitt cannot accommodate the number of K-4 elementary students the growth will produce, we must consider rezoning this area.
We propose rezoning future subdivisions (where no students currently live) and moving those students to Groves, Smith, and Dodd. With more than 100 fewer students, Groves, Smith, and Dodd have the capacity to accommodate new students.
Students in these attendance zones will continue to attend Draper, Cooper, and Wylie High School.
COX ELEMENTARY
When a campus no longer has land available for new home construction, it is considered to be at peak capacity. Cox is an outlier. Although buildout is complete, student enrollment continues to grow. Our guess is that families without children are selling their homes to families with children.
To ensure this campus does not exceed capacity, a proposal is being made to move the Olympus Woodbridge Apartments students from Cox to Birmingham. This change will impact the feeder pattern for intermediate and junior high school, but high school students will maintain their Wylie East feeder pattern.
THANK YOU!
We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we consider these necessary changes to accommodate new students and provide a plan and pathway for both current and future Wylie ISD students. Growth will continue, and we will work to monitor and address the impact this growth brings. If you have questions, ideas, or concerns, please let me know. Our school belongs to the community, and I welcome your feedback. Please email me with any questions, ideas or concerns. david.vinson@wylieisd.net.
I look forward to hearing from you and continuing to work together to grow this amazing school district.
