• 1998 Grade Level Alignment Report

    Highlights of the April 1998 High School Facility/Grade Alignment Committee
    Subcommittees
    Enrollment Projections
    Public Opinion
    Site Visit
    Academic Impact
    Extracurricular Impact
    Fiscal Impact
    Facilities Impact

    Findings of the Enrollment Projections Subcommittee
    Projections were based on the following assumptions:
    • Current land plans of Coppell, Irving, Grapevine, and Lewisville (within CISD) will remain constant until build-out
    • Overall household demographics would remain constant
    • CISD boundaries would remain unchanged
    Conclusion of the Enrollment Projections Subcommittee
    • Coppell High School student population at build-out would range from 2,484-2,690
    Adopted Population Projection
    • The Steering Committee adopted a population projection of 2,500 for the planning of future high school options
    Public Opinion Subcommittee-Findings
    • An overwhelming majority of survey respondents favored some form of grade alignment that would keep all four grades (9-12) on a single campus.
    • Number of Survey Respondents
      667 citizens
      59 teachers
      1,093 students
    Main Reasons for One Campus as Reported by the Public Opinion Subcommittee
    • Fiscal responsibility (cost)
    • Preserving a unified community
    • Ability to offer a broader range of academic and extracurricular offerings
    • The City of Coppell is too small to support two traditional 9-12 high school campuses
    Conclusion Based Upon Public Opinion
    1. The Steering Committee agreed with the Public Opinion Subcommittee that the majority of respondents favored either one single 9th-12th grade campus
    2. Or, a configuration that would include a 9th Grade Center on the same campus as the other high school
    Subcommittee Site Visits - 1998
    • Arlington Martin High School - Single Large High School
    • Duncanville ISD - 9th Grade Center
    Possible Building Configurations
    • Five campus configurations were presented to the Board of Trustees by the Steering Committee
      One 9th-12th high school
      Two 9th-12th high schools
      9th-10th and 11th-12th Separate Campuses
      9th Grade Center on Separate Campus
      9th Grade Center within 9th-12th high school
    OPTION #1: One 9th–12th High School
    Continuation of the existing high school configuration

    Academic Advantages
    Course curriculum with greater depth and breath (more sessions/more courses)
    Greater opportunity for teacher sharing regarding curriculum and students

    Extracurricular Impact
    Greater opportunities-wider variety of activities
    Smaller percentage of student will participate in extracurricular activities

    Academic Disadvantages or Concerns
    Risk of becoming:
    • Too impersonal
    • Students anonymous
    • Limiting student/ teacher interaction
    Facility Impact
    The existing facility would need to be expanded in the following areas:
    • classrooms
    • cafeteria
    • athletics
    • fine art facilities
    • parking and traffic - flow around the building
    • Expansion cost would be $8,000,000
    OPTION #2: Two 9th-12th High Schools
    Academic Advantages
    • Smaller schools exhibit higher academic achievement
    • Smaller schools exhibit more individual attention for students
    Extracurricular Impact
    • More opportunity for participating in more sport and/or fine arts activities
    • Would broaden educational experiences

    Academic Disadvantages or Concerns:
    • Potential affects of a decrease in course offerings both in breath and depth
    • May require the sharing of teachers between campuses
    • Students may have to travel between campuses for some course offerings
    Facilities Considerations
    • Land limitations within CISD
    • Would need to use CMS West as the "new" high school
    • Would need to build another new middle school
    • "Status"perception could create a division in the community
    • Two high schools of equal size would leave the "current" high school building underutilized
    • 1,250 students in a building designed for over 2,000 students
    • Renovation of CMS West and construction of a new middle school would cost $30,000,000
    OPTION #3: 9th-10th and 11th-12th Separate Campuses
    This option was not given significant consideration due to the inability to obtain the numbers of students necessary on either campus to achieve possible advantages

    OPTION #4: 9th Grade Center on a Separate Campus
    Insufficient Projected Enrollment
    • To be successful with a separate 9th grade center, approximately 800 students would need to be enrolled to allow for appropriate class offerings and facility use
    • Projected enrollment at build-out not expected to reach 800 students

      Additional Concerns
    • Severe restrictions my be imposed on the flexibility of students to participate in extracurricular activities
    • Mentoring opportunities for relationships between older and younger students will be severely limited
    • Would create two "transition" years (9th grade and then again in 10th grade)
    Fiscal Impact
    Estimated to cost $20,000,000 to $25,000,000 based upon construction costs of CMS North

    Additional Expansion Necessary
    • Depending upon the extracurricular offerings
    • No dollar amount predicted
    OPTION #5: 9th Grade Center within 9th-12th High School
    Advantages
    • Would feature the physical benefits of a single large high school with slight modifications to include more classrooms and labs for 9th grade
    • Would have a separate 9th grade "wing" for core classes
    • Provides an area of the building for 9th grade academics
    • Academic benefits for 9th grade students are achieved
    • Extracurricular opportunities are not restricted for 9th grade students
    • Mentoring between students is facilitated
    • Best utilizes the existing high school facility
    • Provides room for 180 more students than projected
    Provide Support for All Students
    • Addition of Leadership/Study Skills Class
    • Reading
    • Math Remediation
    Establish a Positive Climate
    • Mentor Program/Advisory Time
    • Transitional Strategies
    • Integrate Students with 10-12 Graders
    Address Administrative Issues
    • Teacher Profile
    • Staffing
    • GPA
    • Planners
    • Classroom Sets of Texts
    Fiscal Impact - $9,000,000