Rockwall ISD outlines proposed attendance-zone realignment for new middle school No. 4

Rockwall Independent School District staff presented a proposed realignment plan Wednesday to place students into the new Middle School No. 4, scheduled to open in August 2025.

Student services staff said the proposed plan keeps all attendance zones north of Interstate 30 unchanged and realigns middle school attendance south of I-30 so the highway becomes a clear north-south boundary. South-of-I-30 boundaries would be divided east-west with State Highway 205 serving as the east-west divider between Cain Middle School and the new Middle School No. 4.

Under the staff recommendation, elementary schools Garcia and Springer and the portion of Jones Elementary west of Highway 205 would feed the new middle school; the portion of Jones east of 205 would remain aligned to Rochul (Amanda Rochul Elementary) to preserve capacity there. Staff said Lake Rockwall Estates currently is divided among elementary assignments and the plan would consolidate that neighborhood so it feeds Pullins Elementary instead of Jones Elementary.

Student services staff emphasized factors that guided the plan: keeping neighborhoods intact where possible, minimizing the number of students who must move schools, maximizing facility utilization, considering future residential development and maintaining coherent feeder patterns from elementary through high school. The staff forecast shows substantial ongoing residential development across the district and projected enrollment increases over the next decade; several south-side campuses are forecast to operate at or above functional capacity even after the new middle school opens.

Officials said current seventh-graders affected by the realignment may apply for a transfer to remain at their existing campus for eighth grade; transfers will be considered subject to available space and district transfer criteria, and approved transfer students would be responsible for their own transportation. The same transfer option will be available for current fourth-graders at Jones who want to complete fifth grade at Jones. Staff said transportation impacts were considered and that the district will present transfer decisions consistent with existing transfer policy.

Public information steps: the district will post the proposal and a feedback form at www.rockwallisd.com/ms4 (site to go live Jan. 22) and will hold seven campus meetings over the next two weeks for the directly affected campuses. Staff intends to present a final realignment recommendation to the board in February.

The item was informational; no vote was taken Wednesday.