1) Your neighborhood may be next!
The current cause of overcrowding at Marek Elementary looks to be due to the new apartments added on Business Center Drive. There have been virtually zero new Single Family homes built in the current zone since 2010. Compare this with 2 new apartments and one underway with 1,000+ units added. To solve this problem the SBAC/Alvin ISD proposes to move 5 neighborhoods (Morningside, Reflection Pointe, Heron Bay, Gables, and Half Moon Terrace) to other schools. This reduces the number of SF neighborhoods in Marek from 20 down to 15 (a 25% reduction).
What happens when another apartment complex is added? Alvin ISD officials have admitted there are 2 additional sites where more apartments could be and most likely be added. Look out Osprey Pointe, Mallard Landing, and The Island neighborhoods, you will probably be the next to go!
What happens when another apartment complex is added? Alvin ISD officials have admitted there are 2 additional sites where more apartments could be and most likely be added. Look out Osprey Pointe, Mallard Landing, and The Island neighborhoods, you will probably be the next to go!
2) The number of apartment students will only increase.
Obviously, a student is the same whether he/she comes from an apartment or a single family home. However, parent involvement can be different. I assume the bulk of volunteers and active parents come from the Single Family ranks versus the apartments. Based on data from Alvin ISD, we are being told that 207 students currently come from the apartments at Marek. Based on the attached slide from the Alvin ISD presentation, the current enrollment at Marek is 931 students. Therefore apartment students represent 22% of the current enrollment. The projected enrollment in 2014, with the current proposal, at Marek shrinks to 748. Assuming the number of apartment students stay the same, they will now represent 28% of the students at Marek. This percentage will only increase as the new apartment at the corner of Discovery Bay and Business Center Drive completes construction and the two recently built apartments (Retreat and Discovery) start to reach stabilization. Plus when the 2 remaining sites begin construction (you know they will!), the percentage will have to increase dramatically. Lastly, it has been shown that SF parents will begin to send their kids to alternative schooling (i.e. private) once they see that their public school's performance starts to degrade. This effect will only accelerate the percentage.
We need to spread the apartments fairly and equally to all elementary schools in the Shadow Creek area. Why does Marek have 6 apartments and over 2,000 units? Compare this with Wilder, York, and Duke/15 elementary schools with one apartment each with 300-400 units. That represents a 6x higher concentration at Marek than the other schools. Or Marek has 2x the total number of apartments and units than the other three elementary schools COMBINED!
We need fairness and balance in each school's boundary!!!
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