Other large
developments in the South Belt area include Centex Homes and
Beazer Homes with 630 and 610 homes projected, respectively. An
apartment complex at the intersection of Sabo and Beltway 8 will
feature 610 units.
"These developments are moderately priced homes ideal for
young couples with children," said Landry. "The homes
are occupied almost as quickly as they are built."
Another area of major development is within the Highway 3 and
I-45 corridor. Southway Gardens is currently underway with plans
to build 348 new homes. A new area, recently platted by Linnar
Homes could bring as many as 800 additional homes to the district.
In south Pasadena, much of the growth will come from two new
apartment complexes. The Broadwater Apartments currently under
construction on Crenshaw will have 248 units when completed. An
additional apartment complex is planned near Burke Road and Vista
with plans from 274 units.
The Strawberry Glen subdivision near the intersection of
Strawberry and Almeda-Genoa Road will feature 151 new homes.
He said, "With all the new developments in our area, we
are estimated more than 5,100 new students from the areas already
planned or underway above the projections originally made in 2002.
This growth does not take into account the 'cohort growth'
achieved by moving students through our system year after year or
the growth seen in transitional neighborhoods as couples retire
and sell their older homes to younger families with children.
The numbers become more critical when the district looks at
available acreage than has not yet been platted. Said Schneider,
"We are aware of other areas, particularly in the South Belt
area and the Highway 3 corridor, which are prime areas for future
residential development. Preliminary conversations with property
owners indicate it is not a matter of 'if' these areas will be
development, but a matter of 'when.'"
Among the schools most seriously impacted by the new
developments are Jessup and Genoa elementary schools, Beverly
Hills, Thompson and Miller intermediate schools and Dobie and
Memorial high schools. "Seven of our 10 intermediate schools
enroll more than 1,000 students today," said the
superintendent. "Four of those seven schools have more than
1,100 students. By 2006, all 10 schools will exceed a student
enrollment of 1,000 students."
Beverly Hills, Jackson, Miller and Thompson are projected to
will top 1,300 students. Pasadena ISD's goal is to have fewer than
900 students at an intermediate campus, according to built
capacity of its schools.
In two years, three elementary schools will exceed 1,000
students with 19 campuses exceeding the district's goal of 750
students for its elementary schools.
The high school growth, while significant at Memorial High
School, will be greatest at Dobie High School. Projections show
Dobie's enrollment to approach 4,500 students by 2008, far beyond
the capacity of its new facility. "The growth in the Dobie
attendance zone has surpassed any expectation in its size and
speed," said Schneider. "Any time you have a school that
size, you start negatively impacting student achievement and tend
to decrease the percentage of your students who participate in
extracurricular activities."
The district has been watching the enrollment data continuously
since 1998. The trends, while steady in the past, now show a
rapidly increased growth curve. A community wide facilities
committee has started looking at the building needs to address the
new growth.
Pasadena ISD is one of the fastest growing districts in Texas
over the past three years, according to a March enrollment report
issued by TEA. Among the 30 largest districts in the state,
Pasadena ISD is ranked eighth in growth since 2001, behind only
Katy, United (Laredo), Cy-Fair, Round Rock, Fort Bend, Northside
(San Antonio) and Brownsville. |