Oak Ridge opposes Conroe ISD zoning plans for new high school Oak Ridge North Council rejects two proposed rezoning scenarios

The Oak Ridge North City Council voted last week to oppose Conroe ISD's two proposed options for rezoning the Oak Ridge High School feeder zone when the new high school is completed in 2018, arguing that the options presented would be detrimental to students and property values.

Conroe ISD has proposed two scenarios: one which puts Oak Ridge High School at 62 percent capacity and 38 percent low income; and the new Grand Oaks High School at 78 percent capacity and 19 percent low income. The other puts Oak Ridge at 71 percent capacity and 33 percent low income; and Grand Oaks at 67 percent capacity and 22 percent low income.

The city's resolution argues that both scenarios put Oak Ridge students at a disadvantage by reducing the student population, possibly dropping it below 6A status, and by "artificially inflating" the low-income populations at the high school.

"It appears Oak Ridge (High School) is going to be gutted," Mayor Jim Kuykendall said.

Kuykendall said City Council members have been inundated with calls from residents who are concerned about the rezoning options.

This isn't the first time Oak Ridge residents have felt slighted by Conroe ISD. Kuykendall said zoning for The Woodlands College Park High School also put Oak Ridge High School behind.

"A lot of us feel like we've seen this before," Kuykendall said. "Oak Ridge High School is being left high and dry."

The resolution also suggests that the new school, Grand Oaks High School, should be given more room for the growth that is projected in the area around the Grand Parkway.

It states that Oak Ridge North has little projected growth, while thousands of new homes are expected in the Grand Oaks feeder zone. The City Council is concerned that starting the school with too high of a population will result in quicker overcrowding at Grand Oaks High School or another attempt at rezoning.

The resolution asks the CISD Board of Trustees to consider re-crafting the feeder zone plans so that all students living between Interstate 45 and the Grand Parkway feed into Oak Ridge High School – including those who are currently zoned to The Woodlands College Park High School -- and that all those who live south and east of the Grand Parkway be zoned to Grand Oaks High School.

CISD spokeswoman Sarah Blakelock said that CISD will share the Oak Ridge City Council's feedback with the Attendance Boundary Committee – which is responsible for recommending feeder zoning – at its January meeting. The committee also will be presenting its zone recommendations to the CISD Board of Trustees in January.

"We've got a great school here and I don't want to see it change," Kuykendall said. "I hope they listen."