HomeMy WebLinkAboutFacilities Enrollment Expansion Past and Present AssessmentPage 1 of 6
MEMORANDUM
DATE: March 3, 2017
TO: Honorable Board of Trustees and Town Council
FROM: Tom Brymer, Town Manager/Superintendent
SUBJECT: Westlake Academy Residency & Admission Policies and School Faculties
Enrollment Expansion Past and Present
Introduction
With discussion of the Board’s Residency and Admissions policies on the workshop agenda, it is
useful when examining those policies, to do it within the context of what has been occurring
with the Academy’s enrollment growth and facilities over time. Sometimes it is a good idea to
look at things retrospectively. But, while looking back, at the same time, look at where we are
now, examine if this is where we thought we would be, and see if we wish to remain on the
same course or make course adjustments.
It also is important to remember the reasons Westlake Academy’s founders pursued
establishing our school. In talking with one of those founders, I was advised that those reasons
included the desire to have a school available in our community for Westlake children to attend
as they were attending 1 of 3 ISD’s that trisected Westlake. Another reason was to establish a
sense of community. The goal was a K-12 school in Westlake. However, it was understood
that, with Westlake’s sparse development patterns and school choice, for some time to come
Westlake Academy would need students attending from the areas surrounding Westlake
(secondary or extended boundaries). This was to have the critical mass of students necessary
for a K-12 school.
A Look Back
Westlake Academy (WA) opened in 2003 offering Grades 1-6. Kindergarten and Grade 7 were
added the next year followed by a grade per year after that until Westlake Academy graduated
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its first senior class in 2010. Along the way WA was authorized by the IB for PYP in 2006, the
MYP was authorized in 2007, followed by the DP authorization in 2008.
WA’s enrollment has enjoyed steady growth since its inception. In SY 09-10 enrollment was at
491 and today in SY 16-17 it is budgeted at 866 (836 actual). WA facilities have been expanded
twice. First was the addition of 3 portable buildings in SY11-12. This took enrollment from 530
in SY10-11 to 630 in SY 11-12. This enrollment growth was primarily in the secondary grades
and was intended to add additional course selection for the upper secondary grades to make
that curriculum more robust. Most of these additional students came from WA’s extended
(secondary) boundaries.
The second enrollment growth was from 697 in SY 13-14 to 812 in SY 14-15 with the addition of
3 more portables and the completion of $10.5 million of 3 new permanent purpose built
buildings. These 3 buildings (multi-purpose building, secondary class room building, and field
house) added approximately 40,000 sq. ft. of physical plant to the previous 60,000 sq. ft. of
physical plant.
This second expansion was the result of planning work with the staff and Board that began in
2010. From 2010 to 2012, 2 consultants were hired, 2 different school expansion master pl ans
were compiled, studied and analyzed. Numerous enrollment scenarios were studied. These
scenarios considered class size and the number of new students necessary to populate
expanded facilities to produce the corresponding public education dollars to cover the school’s
increased operational costs resulting from expansion. Much discussion was had about what
enrollment size was desired for WA over time.
The Board ultimately adopted in 2012 the facility master plan prepared by Bennett Benner and
Pettit Architects (BBP). The BBP WA Facility Master Plan is based upon a phased facility capital
improvements approach to address student body growth that occurs in 3 phases over time with
the third phase taking the school population to about 1,300 students.
In conjunction with this Facility Master Plan study, residential growth in Westlake was analyzed
in 3 different studies using high, low, and moderate Westlake residential growth scenarios, as
well as comparing those scenarios with growth in other similar DFW schools. Using these
residential growth scenarios, the consultants estimated a multiplier of .6-.7 children per
household would predict Westlake resident enrollment at WA.
Plans then began for implementation of Phase 1 of the 2012 adopted Facility Master Plan. It
involved the expenditure of $10.5 million (originally estimated at $8.5 million) for the buildings
mentioned above, as well as purchasing 3 additional portable buildings. Phase 1 of the Facility
Master Plan targeted an enrollment of 855. This was based on enrollment of 3 sections per
grade K-G12 with 20 students per class in K-G7 and 25 students per class in G8-12.
For SY 14-15, the first year the Phase 1 buildings were put in service per the Facility Master Plan
adopted in 2012, the Board ultimately modified those enrollment targets somewhat. The
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Board set the targeted enrollment by grade at 18 per class for Kindergarten, 20 per class for G1-
5, and 25 per class for G6-12 (still at 3 sections per grade). Overall enrollment was still targeted
in the 840-850 range overall. A consensus was reached with the Board that based on our
studies, that with management of the secondary boundary enrollment through attrition and
management of the lottery, we could maintain this enrollment for 3-5 years.
Further, another key element in setting class size targets, school overall enrollment and
planning for growth was creating the “Westlake reserve”. Beginning in SY 14-15 the
Board/Council began a transfer of $300,000 annually from the Municipal Budget to the
Academy’s Operating Budget as a “Westlake reserve”. The intent of this Westlake reserve was
that this would be equivalent to the State’s financial contribution for 3 students per year per
grade (based on FSP payments of that time of $6,800 yearly per student). The Westlake reserve
would allow the school to “hold” spaces in the Academy for students who moved to Westlake
and enrolled at WA as Westlake’s population grew due to residential growth. Enrollment in SY
14-15 was budgeted at 822 and actual enrollment was 812.
A Look at the Present
We are now in SY 16-17, the third school year since the second expansion was implemented.
The attached school census by grade from February 1st of this year shows that our actual
enrollment is 836, lower than what we set our budget on at 866. So, while we are not at
capacity overall, we do have grades where we are “pushing” the enrollment targets the Board
set when the Facility Master Plan was adopted and the decision to implement Phase 1 of that
plan was made. We are tracking the moderate growth residential scenario we saw at that time
along with the .70 child per household forecast we used to plan for residential growth’s impact
on the Academy.
We also seem to continue tracking with the historical ratio of approximately 30% of WA’s
enrollment residing in Westlake and 70% residing in our extended bo undaries. It should be
noted that as the overall enrollment has grown, the number of secondary boundary students
increased. If this population had held steady and Westlake growth occurred as it has, then the
ratio of Westlake residents as a percentage of the school’s enrollment would likely be higher
than the current approximate 30%. Additionally, our current census indicates enrollment
pressures in the PYP, but not as much pressure in MYP and DP. Plus, the se pressures are
affected by a host of difficult to influence variables such as a stu dent’s motivation and interests
which in turn can affect student leaver rates.
Yes, our community is growing, and it appears we are growing in concert with our forecasts.
However, we should take note that, either by the rate of residential growth increasing, or by
changing policies accelerating admittance as a new resident, we could impact that growth rate
upward thereby creating the need for additional facilities for a fourth section (that is, unless the
Board revised upwards its class size targets, but even then, we are set by our charter at 25
students per class).
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Board Policies and How They Impact Enrollment Growth and Facility Utilization
Also, as the Academy has matured, the Residency and Admissions Policies have been
periodically examined to see if they were working in concert with actual growth trends, thus
allowing our facilities to be used in accordance with Board class size targets, i.e. these policies
can impact our ability to manage our existing capacity. The Residency Policy was originally
adopted in May of 2009 and has been updated as our school and community has continued to
grow. The most recent amendment to this policy was approved by the Board on June 1, 2015.
This amendment to the policy removed the building permit enrollment category after August 1,
2015, and clarified the leasing parameters for residents. Prior to that, we had allowed future
residents to enter the Academy under a conditional residency status so long as they obtained
an approved building permit and completed their home construction within a two (2) year time
limit. Also with this amendment, the policy clarified that any student, as of August 1, 2015 who
enters the Academy via the grandparent residency status, will only be allowed continued
enrollment if the grandparent meet all the requirements for after school care and remains a
primary boundary resident of the Town of Westlake.
The removal of the “building permit” provision from the residency policy accomplished 2 things.
First, it relieved our limited staff from the administrative and time consuming burden of
monitoring compliance with the home being built within the allowed 24 months.
Unfortunately, this provision became increasingly misused by some who would get an approved
building permit and not start construction at all or build their home in a sporadic, delayed
manner.
Second, it allowed for capacity at the school to held and used by We stlake student residents,
but not until they lived in the Town. Previously, this capacity could be used by a student that
would ultimately live in Westlake, but they would not become an actual Westlake resident until
an estimated 12-24 months from the time they were first admitted to the school. Effectively,
this allowed a student to “jump over” the secondary boundary waiting list lottery and enter the
school as a Westlake resident, but live outside of Westlake while their home was being built.
Also, it is important to note that at the same time Westlake student growth due to new home
construction is being planned for, we must also accommodate immediately Westlake students
that move into existing housing stock in the Town.
The Residency Policy as most recently amended has, in Staff’s view, for the most part met the
goal of allowing for planned Academy growth while targeting an enrollment of 850 and the class
sizes the Board targeted in SY 14-15. This is verified when examining the existing school census
by grade. Again, it shows we are staying, for the most part in most grades, within Board class
size and enrollment targets (although we are getting closer to those targets) as the number of
residences in Westlake grows. Saying this, staff acknowledges that this will ultimately change
when, due to new Westlake residential growth, we reach enrollments that exceed the Board class
size targets and require adding sections. The question is the timing of our growth and its impact
on WA facility needs and whether Board Residency and Admissions policies impact the speed of
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that growth.
However, recently staff has been contacted by a local home builder who has advised us that some
of his clients (prospective residents) are having difficulty with the Academy’s
Residency/Admissions Policies in their current form. This is due, at least in large part (but perhaps
not entirely), to the delay by the original Granada developer in finalizing the Granada Phase 2
infrastructure. This had to be done before the Town Council could approve the Phase 2 Final Plat
(which has been done), the final plat recorded, and lots sold to homebuilders (and ultimately
their customers, the home buyers). In turn, some of the customers who purchased lots in
Granada Phase 2, solely driven by the desire for their child to attend Westlake Academy, cannot
have their home completed by the start of the next school year (SY17-18). This, in turn, prevents
them from enrolling in the Academy under the current residency policy. Additionally, there is a
shortage of available rental housing units in Westlake, and what is available is not inexpensive in
terms of monthly rental costs. Some of these prospective residents work for major corporations
that have relocated to the DFW area and WA is the chief reason for their selection of Westlake
as their home. For some of them, they were aware of the requirement of compl eting their
home’s construction before their child could attend WA and they likely would have made that
time line if Granada Phase 2 infrastructure had been completed sooner. Certainly, this situation
does not align well with the intent of the school to serve Westlake residents.
Conclusion
We are dealing with policy issues that have several dimensions, some of which are not fully in
the Town’s control. However, we are trying to take them all into account as we plan for the
optimum time and amount of expenditures for future WA facilities. The Residency Policy can be
changed to deal with the situation we are encountering now with Granada Phase 2, but the
question will be; will such a change accelerate the need for additional facilities sooner by utilizing
existing WA capacity sooner?
On the other hand, if we retain the existing policy, can we more accurately predict when, and for
which grades, we may need additional facilities? Having a new Facilities Master Plan could help
answer these questions, if the scope of such an updated plan is carefully defined including being
willing to consider the use of additional portable buildings for some period deemed acceptable.
But, it should be noted that neither studies or staff can predict age and grade of students who
come to us for enrollment. Not having the ability to predict these demographics makes it difficult
to predict facility needs by programme (i.e. PYP may grow faster than MYP, etc.).
However, these questions are answered, what approach allows us to avoid the eventual outcome
of a Westlake resident waiting list for admission to WA? Or, can this outcome be avoided?
Further, it is vital to remember that, as important as Westlake Academy is to the Town, we must
also plan financially for its capital improvement needs with an eye on all the other infrastructure
and public facility needs the Town of Westlake has today and going forward. Finally, whatever
we do in terms of school facility planning we do with a laser focus on our school’s vision, values
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and mission.
Academy Vision Statement
Westlake Academy inspires students to achieve their highest individual potential in a nurturing
environment that fosters the traits found in the IB Learner Profile.
Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-Minded, Caring, Risk-takers,
Balanced and Reflective
Academy Mission Statement
Westlake Academy is an IB World School whose mission is to provide students with an internationally
minded education of the highest quality so they are well-balanced and respectful life-long learners.
Attachment- Feb. 2017 WA student census