CCISD News

CCISD Board’s Concern for Education of Area Students Spurs Legal Action

From the CCISD Office of Public Information

July 30, 2005

LEAGUE CITY, Texas— Concerned that the opening date of the district’s fourth high school is in jeopardy, the Clear Creek Independent School District Board of Trustees during their July 26 meeting regretfully voted to take legal action against the City of League City government.

The decision was made after the League City City Council voted against honoring the Special Use Permit previously approved by the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission.

“It is with regret and sadness that I move to approve and authorize legal counsel to move forward with initiation of litigation with the City Government of League City,” said Trustee Ralph Parr. The motion was seconded by Trustee David Juengel. He went on to say that the council and the community have been aware of the school’s location for several years and the eleventh hour postponement by the city council is doing a disservice to the educational needs of all our students.

His motion and the unanimous decision of the other trustees came after several months of attempts to resolve the issue amicably with the city council. In October 2004, the Clear Creek ISD trustees began in earnest working with the city to ensure the efficient opening of the fourth high school.

The district has exhausted all options and in recent months has taken the following actions:

• In October and November of 2004, Clear Creek ISD trustees and administration met with city council to review demographic data and plans for the fourth high school. The meetings were productive and positive.

• In March, the city agreed to the construction of water and sewer lines, road improvements and other infrastructure for the high school. The district requested a three-lane road to the first entrance of the campus. The city voted to create a four-lane road and the potential addition of a bridge across the creek.

• In the spring, city officials approved and issued permits to clear and grub the site and to construct a building pad for the school. This work is now substantially complete and awaiting further construction.

• On July 7th, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the approval of the Special Use Permit, but the permit was then rejected by the city council.

• The district has investigated potential properties to no avail. The properties are either unavailable, too costly, or not located in areas that would relieve over-crowding at Clear Creek High School.

• The district requested from the city a Special Use Permit for the fourth high school in May 2005. The school site is currently zoned for residential use. Texas state law allows for schools, churches and other public facilities to be built in areas zoned for residential use and the district requested the permit in an effort to be a good partner to the city.

By not approving the Special Use Permit, the August 2007 opening date of the high school is now in jeopardy and the District is faced with the difficult task of planning how to accommodate nearly 5,000 students attending Clear Creek High School in 2007. The district has developed the following options:

Option One – All 5,000 students to attend Clear Creek High School through the use of extensive portable buildings.

• Safety – The school will have increased vulnerability due to additional enrollment.

• Start time – Classes will begin at 7 a.m. instead of 7:20 a.m.

• Classes will begin earlier to extend class passing periods from seven minutes to 10 minutes and to compensate for additional transportation needs.

• Food service – A temporary lunch facility will be needed, or lunch would be offered from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Curriculum – Clear Creek High will have limited academic and extra-curricular course offerings.

• Staffing – Additional staff will be needed, as well as School Liaison Officers.

• Impact across district – Overcrowding will be experienced at intermediate schools.

• Long Range Master Facility Plan had intended Ninth Grade Centers to be converted to intermediate schools to provide relief due to rapid enrollment.

Option Two – Bus excess students to Clear Lake High School

• Enrollment – Clear Lake High School will have an enrollment of more than 3,500 students in 2007 before the additional students are added.

• Cost – Clear Lake High School will need additional portable buildings at a cost of $65,000 per building.

• Transportation – Transportation costs will increase due to busing additional students outside their regular attendance zone.

• Staffing – Additional staff would be needed, as well as School Liaison Officers.

Option Three – All 5,000 students to attend Clear Creek High School with split high school schedules

• Start time – Clear Creek High School’s schedule will be divided into two sessions o Morning session - 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. o Afternoon session - 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

• Safety – The school will have increased vulnerability due to additional enrollment and extended hours of operation.

• Curriculum – Clear Creek High School will have limited academic and extra-curricular course offerings.

• Community – The Clear Creek High School students will be divided resulting in a reduced student connection to school community.

• Teachers – Teachers at Clear Creek High School will not have dedicated classrooms.

• Family – Families with students attending different sessions will have scheduling conflicts.

• Cost – The utility costs will increase due to the extended school day.

• Staff – Additional staff and administrators will be necessary at Clear Creek High School to accommodate the two sessions.

Two public hearings will be held in August to present these options and to receive community input.

• The first meeting is August 18 at League City Intermediate.

• The second meeting is August 22 at Space Center Intermediate.

• Both meetings take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

This is not the first time the League City City Council has impeded the construction of a public school in their community.

The council created 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, grant certificates of occupancy and other much needed city services without the threat of legal action.

Currently, League City is experiencing abundant growth, and will continue its fast-paced growth through 2020. During the last four years more than 5,300 new home permits have been issued in League City, bringing nearly 4,000 additional children to the area. On average the school district is growing by 1,200 to 1,400 new students a year.

“We are not a for-profit developer. We are an organization concerned about the needs of the children,” said Robert Davee, CCISD Board of Trustees president. “We are simply responding to the growth created by League City through the issuing of home development permits.”

Recognizing the need to address the rapid growth occurring in the district, Clear Creek ISD has brought two bond proposals to the community in February of 2000 and 2004.

In 2000, the community spoke out in support of the new high school by approving the bond. The Palomino Lane land purchase was made in June 2000.

The League City community overwhelmingly approved the 2004 bond by 64 percent knowing the bond would pay for the construction of the new high school on Palomino Lane.

Source: CCISD PR-2189 Excerpts July 27, 2005

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