Humble ISD trustees approve Summerwood/Centennial rezoning after parent raises policy-timing concerns

HUMBLE ISD — The Humble Independent School District Board of Trustees voted to update school attendance areas for Summerwood Elementary and Centennial Elementary and approved a listing of vendors for contracts exceeding district thresholds during a May 6 special meeting.

A parent who lives in Section 55 of the Summerwood neighborhood told the board she believes the proposed rezoning timetable conflicts with board policy and asked the district to delay the effective date. Kristen White, who identified herself as an Humble ISD parent and Summerwood resident, said the change would affect roughly 375 students and criticized the speed of notification: “Knowingly violating board policy exposes the district to further public scrutiny as well as the complaint and grievance process,” she said. White noted the school attendance area committee met April 9, parents were notified April 10, community input occurred April 15 and the board considered approval on May 6.

Superintendent Dr. Brown told trustees the district learned this year that six classrooms at Summerwood Elementary would be ready by the start of the 2025–26 school year. He said administrators offered the board an option to begin by rezoning incoming kindergarten students to Summerwood for 2025–26 to relieve capacity pressures at Centennial, and to rezone all elementary grade levels in Sections 55B and 55F beginning in 2026–27. “We provided an option that would allow kindergarten to start at Summerwood next year,” Brown said, adding the measure was intended to avoid moving core classes into temporary buildings at Centennial.

Board counsel advised trustees the district’s attendance-area policy includes an emergency provision that can permit changes without the usual one-year advance notice. Counsel told the board the policy “is a creature of the board. It does include an emergency provision as well” and said administration had followed the spirit of the process and steps the district typically takes.

After discussion, Trustee Scarfo moved to update the attendance areas as described in the packet. Trustee Grabowski seconded. The board approved the vendor listing for professional services and nonconstruction services (item 2a) earlier during the consent motion. On the rezoning motion (item 2b), the board voted to approve the attendance-area changes by a 5–0 tally with two trustees absent.

Votes at a glance - Item 2a — Approval of professional services and nonconstruction services vendor listing and estimated annual costs (thresholds: $50,000 aggregate or $25,000 individual for FY 02/24–25). Motion carried 5–0; 2 absent. - Item 2b — Update school attendance areas: a) rezoning incoming kindergarten students residing in Sections 55B and 55F and new students who move into those sections from Centennial to Summerwood beginning with the 2025–26 school year; b) rezoning students in all elementary grade levels in Sections 55B and 55F from Centennial to Summerwood beginning with the 2026–27 school year. Motion carried 5–0; 2 absent.

The board packet cited the district’s attendance-area process; trustees and staff discussed balancing the district’s established boundary timeline with the practical availability of classroom capacity. Members of the public retain the right to use the district’s complaint processes and to appeal administrative decisions through properly posted agenda items if an administrative resolution cannot be reached.

The board moved on to a budget workshop following the vote.