Students might get flexibility
The Clark County School Board's decision to revisit a recent zoning decision might provide hundreds of high school students with new enrollment options in 2009-10.
Students attending at least 12 district high schools could be affected by the outcome of Thursday's School Board meeting, which begins at 4 p.m. at the Greer Education Center, 2832 E. Flamingo Road. Board members will consider giving more students enrollment choices so fewer students will have to be involuntarily transferred to new schools next year.
The latest upheaval caused by the change in district attendance boundaries involves Henderson families moved from Coronado High School, near Coronado Center Drive and Horizon Ridge Parkway, to Liberty High School, near Bermuda Road and St. Rose Parkway. If enough Coronado students elect to transfer to Liberty, fewer students will be forced to make the move, according to one proposal under board consideration.
Under the proposed school choice options, students would have to make a decision by March 27. If they choose a new school, they will be responsible for their own transportation.
District officials also caution that they might have to limit school choice to a lottery system if too many students want to move.
Board members originally voted down the options because of a $115,000 cost associated with mailing out the informational letters. But Board President Terri Janison wants to reconsider the matter because the cost should not be so high in "this age of electronic communication."
Other choice options under board consideration include:
• Henderson students in certain zones to be discussed by the board could have choices between Foothill, Green Valley and Coronado.
• Foothill students who live west of Gibson Road, east of Roma Hills Drive and south of Horizon Ridge Parkway could opt for Coronado next year.
• Coronado students who live north of the Las Vegas Beltway, south of Wigwam Parkway, east of Green Valley Parkway and west of Stephanie Street could attend Green Valley.
• In northeastern Las Vegas, students could choose to stay at their schools rather than attend Sunrise Mountain, opening next year near Carey Avenue and Los Feliz Street, if enough of their classmates volunteer to move. That option affects students at Desert Pines, Eldorado, Mojave and Rancho.
• Students at Rancho, near Owens Avenue and Bruce Street, who are being reassigned to Desert Pines, near Washington Avenue and Pecos Road, could stay in place if enough Rancho students request to make that move.
• Las Vegas High students reassigned to Eldorado next year could remain at the Las Vegas campus, near Sahara Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard, if more of their classmates choose to go to Eldorado, near Washington and Christy Lane.
• Desert Pines students who are reassigned to Eldorado could remain if more their classmates choose Eldorado.
• Chaparral students who are being reassigned to Desert Pines could remain at Chaparral, near Viking and Sandhill roads, if more of their classmates volunteer for the move.
• Palo Verde students reassigned to Bonanza could stay at the campus at 333 Pavilion Center Drive near Town Center Drive, if a sufficient number of classmates decided to switch to Bonanza, near Rainbow and Charleston boulevards.
Contact reporter James Haug at jhaug@ reviewjournal.com or 702-799-2922.
