CCISD News

Education Takes a Back Seat in League City

By CCISD
February 19, 2005

City council of League City stalls on decision to provide crucial city services for new high school.

LEAGUE CITY, Texas (February 10)— Education now has four “R’s” reading, writing, arithmetic and roads. Schools are simply unable to function without roads, electrical services, water lines and sewage systems, and city planning is the cornerstone of any successful school.

The League City city council did not approve an interlocal agreement during last night’s council meeting to provide required infrastructure to build and open the Clear Creek Independent School District’s fourth high school. If the agreement is not approved at the Feb. 22 council meeting the Aug. 2007 opening date will be jeopardized, and there will be nearly 5,000 students attending Clear Creek High School.

After months of meetings between the city council and the District discussing the need to improve Palomino Lane and provide sanitary lines to the property, the District was surprised to discover the council no longer considered these items a priority. It was learned on Feb. 8 prior to the council meeting that these items that had previously been allocated in the city’s 2004 Capital Improvement Plan were deleted during a July 29 city council workshop.

If the interlocal agreement is not approved by the council the school can not be built. The school district will be forced to purchase additional portable classroom buildings, place more than 35 students in every classroom and bus all students west of Highway 3 to Clear Brook High School, which will be more than 30 percent over capacity in 2007.

Recognizing the rapid growth occurring in the area Clear Creek ISD brought a bond proposal to the community in Feb. 2004. The League City community overwhelmingly approved the bond that pays for the new high school, with an approval rating of 64 percent. In 2000, the community also spoke out in support of the new high school by voting in support of the land purchase.

Currently, League City is experiencing abundant growth, and will continue its fast-paced growth through 2020. In the last four years more than 5,300 new home permits have been built in League City, bringing nearly 4,000 additional children to the area. On average the District is growing by 1,200 new students a year.

This is not the first time the League City city council has baulked at the idea of providing city services to open a school. Clear Creek ISD encountered similar roadblocks in the construction of Goforth Elementary, Bauerschlag Elementary, League City Intermediate and Victory Lakes Intermediate. The council has repeatedly refused to build roads, provide building inspectors and other much needed city services.

“As the primary educator of the community’s children, we are in the business of building classrooms, not building roads,” said Fred Niccum, Clear Creek ISD director of facilities. “This interlocal agreement is essential to continuing the exceptional educational opportunities provided to the students in our district.”

Source: CCISD Press Release

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