HISD Is Again Considering School Consolidations

[VicMan]

The Chron reported that HISD is again considering consolidating school and closing schools. It will hold community meetings to decide which schools to close.

Here are some suggestions listed here: http://blogs.chron.com/schoolzone/2008/03/...r.html#comments

* Build new campus to serve students of Ross ES and Scott ES

* Build new campus at Atherton ES site to serve Atherton ES and Dogan ES

* Build new campus at Sherman ES site to serve Sherman ES and Crawford ES

* Build new campus at Kennedy ES site to serve Kennedy ES and Allen ES

* Build new campus at Peck ES site to serve Peck ES and MacArthur ES

* Build new campus at Lewis ES site to serve Lewis ES and Bellfort Academy (Since the Lewis ES/Bellfort Academy ES attendance boundary is zoned to Lewis ES for K-3 and Bellfort Academy for 4-5, this looks like a ploy to have all of the grades at one campus and not actually an effort to reduce school capacity to fit lower enrollment)

* Renovation and expansion of Lockhart ES, consolidate Turner ES into Lockhart

* Renovation and expansion of McDade ES, consolidate Kashmere Gardens ES into McDade

In addition HISD is considering closing:

* N. Q. Henderson ES

* J. Will Jones ES (Told ya so!)

* Stevenson ES

* Wharton ES

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As expected many of the schools here are in gentrifying areas inside 610 (Midtown, Neartown, Third Ward, Fifth Ward, Memorial Park area, Near Northside) with Kennedy and Allen, which are in Independence Heights. IMO it is about time that schools are closed in many of these areas. I'm not sure about closing Wharton, though, but I think the others can go.

Also I am not sure if Key needs to be closed. HISD could use Key to even out zoning if HISD absorbs North Forest ISD.

IMO HISD should turn Bellfort Academy into an ECC (as there are currently no ECCs on the southeast side, as seen here: http://www.houstonisd.org/FederalStateComp...CC%20SCHOOL.pdf )