College Station ISD board adopts Plan 7 elementary boundary adjustments after weeks of input

College Station Independent School District trustees voted 7-0 on Sept. 16 to adopt Plan 7, a set of elementary attendance-area boundary adjustments scheduled to begin in the 2026–27 school year.

The board’s decision followed public comment from residents and a lengthy discussion among trustees about neighborhood integrity, socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED) concentrations and the number of students affected by the rezoning. "I worry that by increasing percentages that are already high economically disadvantaged schools, that will disproportionately impact those educators, administrators, and staff," said Eleanor Su Keen, a resident who addressed trustees during the public-comment period.

Board member Miss Wilson presented the plan and described the process leading to Plan 7: a demographer’s March report, multiple drafts and community forums in July and August. Wilson said three elementary campuses — Pebble Creek, Southwood Valley and Spring Creek — were driving the need to rebalance enrollment because they were overcrowded, and that Plan 7 attempts to equalize enrollment across the district. She told the board that Southwood Valley’s current free-and-reduced percentage is 61.9% and that, under Plan 7, it would drop to 59.2%.

Trustees pressed for additional details before voting. Board member Miss McAdams asked for analysis of how the new elementary boundaries would “split” cohorts when students advance to intermediate schools; administrators said they planned to review those intermediate-level splits later because the district is not moving forward with intermediate/middle boundary changes now. Members discussed the number of students in the disputed area north of George Bush Drive; administration provided several counts during debate (figures cited by trustees and staff included 39, 45 and a total area pull of about 75 students), and trustees repeatedly described the affected total as roughly 35 students from South Knoll that would follow a different intermediate path under the plan.

Board members also discussed grandfathering and transportation. Administration told the board that current kindergarten through third-grade students would be offered the option to remain at their current campus for the remainder of their elementary years if families choose to do so; siblings who enroll while an older child remains at the campus may also be grandfathered. Board policy FC(Local) addresses grandfathering only for new campuses, the administration said; the specific grandfathering approach for Plan 7 is an administrative decision and will be communicated to families. Administrators also explained that Title I and state compensatory funding are allocated on a per-student basis and that an increase in SED students at a campus will increase those campus resources.

After additional remarks from trustees — including a motion to table that was later withdrawn — Board member Miss Simmons moved to adopt Plan 7; Dr. Payne seconded. The motion carried 7-0.

Trustees and administration said they would continue outreach to affected families, provide a period for parents to indicate whether they will exercise grandfathering, and follow up on intermediate-level cohort splits at a later date if needed.