Fort Bend ISD Should Be Ashamed Of The Overbuilding

[hbcu]

does anyone seemed concerned that Fort Bend ISD has allowed its dumb policy of smaller schools lead to overbuilding of schools and the potential HISD model (too many schools with no enrollment)?

The east end of the district says it all as they let Willowridge, the only school in the district who had a national name, go to shambles as they dropped a $22 million dollar palace named Thurgood Marshall eight miles away that has now dropped in enrollment? I saw a band video from 2 different eras and its sad how the nation's premiere marching band has been reduced to a thread of itself due to blatent rezoning by the district (jealousy) and lower enrollment due to the district implementing freedom of choice

On the west end, you have Travis, a small school just built literally miles away from 2 other high schools, Bush and Austin, going to burst at the seams and a new one about to come shortly....

in 20 years with an economic downturn, what happens to all of these schools when they aren't filled to capacity? Do you foresee another Houston ISD where they built schools for whites only to see them dump the school within a few years for other districts?

The east end proves that is going to happen as they beg for your yes vote during bond time, build your school of choice only to realize the same individuals who are begging for these schools are usually long gone by the time these schools open...Marshall was promised in the 90s but the families the district solicited for the vote never sent their kids there....

I forsee a major contraction coming in the near future as the district continues to build small when building big would be better...

[CyKat]

Do you foresee another Houston ISD where they built schools for whites only to see them dump the school within a few years for other districts?

No, I don't. I think building a whites only school would be illegal, wouldn't it? Although I hear there is a high school for homosexuals in New York, so nothing surprises me anymore.

[VicMan]

No, I don't. I think building a whites only school would be illegal, wouldn't it? Although I hear there is a high school for homosexuals in New York, so nothing surprises me anymore.

I believe Harvey Milk High School in New York City now allows other students to enroll (I forget the criteria for them). As homosexuality is increasingly accepted in U.S. society I think Milk's role will change.

Anyhow, the large number of schools is justified *for now* - Someday maybe FBISD will need to close a few of them. Neighborhoods change and it may be difficult to predict how the changes will occur.

[readam]

A few years ago the folks on the east side "demanded" a new school on their side since new schools were being built on the west side of the district...they got what they asked for; however, the enrollment problem is theirs as well, Magnet schools or not. Where is the growth in the district?? Not near that area of the district. Sienna and other new additions but not Independence Pkwy and 2234.

The same thing happened to HISD and it is still happening in Spring Branch. Older folks do not move as their children grow out of the school cycle. The schools therefore are under utilized and eventually are shut down. Ten high schools with more on the way in FBISD is a joke though. Neighborhoods get what they want NOW and to heck with the future.

[VicMan]

A few years ago the folks on the east side "demanded" a new school on their side since new schools were being built on the west side of the district...they got what they asked for; however, the enrollment problem is theirs as well, Magnet schools or not. Where is the growth in the district?? Not near that area of the district. Sienna and other new additions but not Independence Pkwy and 2234.

The same thing happened to HISD and it is still happening in Spring Branch. Older folks do not move as their children grow out of the school cycle. The schools therefore are under utilized and eventually are shut down. Ten high schools with more on the way in FBISD is a joke though. Neighborhoods get what they want NOW and to heck with the future.

Readam: Talking about Hightower?

I'm not sure what the campus's capacity is, but it is past 2,500 http://www.schooldigger.com/go/TX/schools/...885/school.aspx

Anyhow, I would personally like to see the Houston portion of FBISD with Willowridge given to Houston ISD - The FBISD eastside would be served by Hightower and one other high school.

[genghiskahn]

does anyone seemed concerned that Fort Bend ISD has allowed its dumb policy of smaller schools lead to overbuilding of schools and the potential HISD model (too many schools with no enrollment)?

I think smaller schools would be better. I'd much rather see a bunch of 3A and 4A high schools rather than a few gigantic high schools. Now, this is probably cost-prohibitive for the district because of land and construction costs but, IMHO, smaller schools lead to more controlled learning environments because of a better administrator-faculty/student ratio. (All other factors being equal, of course.)

[VicMan]

I think smaller schools would be better. I'd much rather see a bunch of 3A and 4A high schools rather than a few gigantic high schools. Now, this is probably cost-prohibitive for the district because of land and construction costs but, IMHO, smaller schools lead to more controlled learning environments because of a better administrator-faculty/student ratio. (All other factors being equal, of course.)

This may explain HISD's reluctance to close some of the smaller comprehensive high schools. I'm not even sure about the last time when HISD shuttered a comprehensive high school.

I think it's fine for FBISD to build one more high school on the east side (in Sienna Plantation) to relieve Elkins and Hightower.

[readam]

No Vic I was writing about Marshall...speaking of Hightower, why do so many teachers want to leave? Just wondering.

[genghiskahn]

This may explain HISD's reluctance to close some of the smaller comprehensive high schools. I'm not even sure about the last time when HISD shuttered a comprehensive high school.

I think it's fine for FBISD to build one more high school on the east side (in Sienna Plantation) to relieve Elkins and Hightower.

I think that in HISD's case it has much, much more to do with community identification with schools. Remember the uproar over the hiring of an assistant principal from Worthing as the principal at Booker T. Washington? Link

There was uproar in HISD over the most recent bond election because it consolidated several elementary and middle schools. Think of what would have happened if high schools were suggested! The entire school board would have been run out of town on a rail!

[VicMan]

I think that in HISD's case it has much, much more to do with community identification with schools. Remember the uproar over the hiring of an assistant principal from Worthing as the principal at Booker T. Washington? Link

There was uproar in HISD over the most recent bond election because it consolidated several elementary and middle schools. Think of what would have happened if high schools were suggested! The entire school board would have been run out of town on a rail!

That's part of the reason too.

No Vic I was writing about Marshall...speaking of Hightower, why do so many teachers want to leave? Just wondering.

I think it's because Patricia Paquin is principal: http://www.houston-press.com/2006-06-29/news/cut-short/1

[hbcu]

Marshall has turned out to be a mistake.....a multi-million dollar mistake...

if parents out there focused on keeping Willowridge going things would still be the same out there....excelling in alot of activites and neighborhood pride...

Hightower is a 21st centurey version of Willowridge in the 80s except with less national exposure...

[genghiskahn]

Marshall has turned out to be a mistake.....a multi-million dollar mistake...

if parents out there focused on keeping Willowridge going things would still be the same out there....excelling in alot of activites and neighborhood pride...

Hightower is a 21st centurey version of Willowridge in the 80s except with less national exposure...

A mistake? Forgive me if I'm wrong, but aren't you basing your opinion on the supposed decline of the band at Willowridge?

Where are the students supposed to go? Willowridge has 1,721 students while Marshall has 1,861. I may be misunderstanding you but are you arguing that the best option was to keep all of those kids at an expanded Willowridge? With more than 3,500 high schoolers? That would be a disaster waiting to happen.

FBISD Enrollment Projections 2007-8

High Schools change. Neighborhoods change. Schools that are prestigious at one time decline only a few years later. There are many, many factors that contribute to it.

[hbcu]

I'm basing it on last year's FBISD demographic study.....Marshall had 1,500 and Willowridge had 1,400....that's roughly 2,900 to 3,000 students which was handled back there easily at one time....Willowridge has expanded its capacity since with new wings so they could handle that capacity...

A band is a great microcosm of a school to a certain extent (exclusing HISD Lamar and Bellaire) as you have all walks of life in there...Willowridge's band also was the only thing people ever knew about FBISD and you never kill your biggest ambassador unless you "really" want to...

HISD creates loopholes to keep certain schools higher than others...FBISD protects a chosen few to maintain their past image even those the distrist is minority now...