The Eanes Independent School District Board of Directors is considering reducing the number of student transfers allowed into the district, following concerns expressed by parents about incoming students from outside the district.
The issue was placed on the agenda at the April 2017 board meeting due to a large number of contacts from residents to the trustees, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The concern of most parents was that transfer students were displacing their children and taking “coveted spots in the class rank contest or on sports teams, band and other extracurricular activities.” Additionally, general overcrowding at several campuses is becoming an issue. Some schools already do not take transfer students due to being at or approaching capacity.
However, the district brings in extra revenue from tax dollars for each student, and the district and parents will balance this in their evaluation. Of Eanes’ 8,129 students, 433 are out-of-district transfers, with over half of these students at Westlake High School.
Westlake eliminated new freshman transfers for this school year due to total enrollment, but while this year’s freshman class is the largest ever at over 700, next year’s class is expected to go down to a little over 650. Cedar Creek Elementary was closed to transfers this school year, and Hill Country Middle School has been closed to transfer students for three years. In addition to Westlake High, Hill Country Middle, and Cedar Creek Elementary, Eanes, Valley View, and Barton Creek Elementary Schools are near capacity.
Read more in the Austin American-Statesman.