BEAUMONT, Texas — The Beaumont Independent School district board voted unanimously to approve attendance rezoning in a7-0 vote on Tuesday.
The vote was met with a room full of applause.
Previously the district said with growth and new construction happening all around the city they want to make sure students are going to school where they live.
This is the first time in 30 years that the district's board members have redrawn and approved new attendance maps, according to a BISD news release.
The rezoning will take effect at the start of the 2025-2026 academic year. In separate action, the board also approved the relocation of Early College High School to the Dr. M.L. King Jr. Campus in a 7-0 (unanimous) vote, according to the release.
The rezoning plan impacts approximately 1836 students, which is a little more than 9% districtwide.
- Elementary: 927 students
- Middle School: 934 students
- High School: 38 students
"Having this opportunity to make certain students are actually attending schools that are near their homes that we are more efficient with our resources this is an excellent thing to happen at Beaumont ISD," said BISD Superintendent Dr. Shannon Allen.
The rezoning process began in August 2023, with a rezoning meeting to find consultants for attendance maps creation.
Community meetings were then held to get input from parents and others.
The objective was to establish attendance zones that promoted balanced enrollment and enhanced the learning environment, according to the release.
According to the release, the process was guided by several key principles to support informed decision-making:
- Neighborhood Cohesion: Assigning entire neighborhoods to the same schools to maintain community connections.
- Proximity: Considering the distance students live from campuses to ensure convenience and accessibility.
- Facility Efficiency: Using projected student enrollment and current campus capacity to optimize facility use.
- Special Programs: Evaluating the placement and assignment of special programs to maintain program effectiveness.
- Transportation: Assessing transportation opportunities and challenges to provide safe and practical solutions for school bus routes.
BISD parents will be notified of their zoned campus by the Student Services Department before the end of the 2024-25 academic year. Every student will be required to verify residency for the 2025-2026 school year.
The Early College High School will move from its current address at 3410 Austin Street to the King Campus, located at 1400 Avenue A at the start of the 2025-2026 school year.
Dr. Allen says the move of dual credit students from its current address makes sense. She says the close proximity to Lamar Institute of Technology will cut down on student commutes and keep them in class.
"We'll have an opportunity to put the students in a newer building our goal is to make sure that we are very responsible that we are being very efficient with taxpayer resources," Dr. Allen.
Previously, trustees unanimously voted to close King Middle School for the 2024-2025 school year at the March 21, 2024 board meeting. The district cited disappointing academic performance and inefficient zoning as reasons for the closure.