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Long Range Planning Committee recommends pausing expansion of out-of-district transfers
Summary
The Long Range Planning Committee's open-enrollment subcommittee recommended that Georgetown ISD not expand out-of-district transfers now, citing capacity, rezoning and program impacts; the board heard detailed pros and cons and agreed to monitor demand and revisit after rezoning and new openings.
Dr. Stoner, who chaired the open-enrollment subcommittee of Georgetown ISD's Long Range Planning Committee, presented the group's findings and recommendation to the board on May 5, saying the committee's majority view was to delay expanding out-of-district transfers until after new facilities open and planned rezoning is complete. "The recommendation is let's not look at, expanding to out of district at this time," Stoner said.
The subcommittee weighed four principal options and documented pros and cons for each. Supporters of holding transfers cited minimal additional workload for campuses, protection of campus culture and limiting use of GISD resources for nonresident students. Concerns included continued underutilization at some sites, potential revenue loss (committee materials noted a minimum loss of the basic allotment amount per out-of-district transfer) and the need to rezone attendance boundaries if open enrollment were broadened.
Panel members highlighted operational issues: funding follows students (the district receives the basic allotment and any weighted funding), but open enrollment could force additional staffing or change class-size planning if capacity is not carefully managed. The committee emphasized grandfathering and sibling continuity for accepted transfers and recommended the district track inbound interest this year so it can reassess impacts after rezoning and the opening of new buildings.
Trustees praised the committee's process, and the superintendent thanked committee leads for months of work. No policy change was adopted at the workshop; staff will provide committee reports and bring further recommendations back to the board for review.
