Did you know the capacity utilization of our schools?

Posted on December 10, 2007 by David Lovelace.
Categories: Finance.

Seems that the capacity utilization of our schools is a hot topic with the Board and particularly with its President, Tolles.

Interesting numbers from the district and some recent comments by Susan.

Here are the current capacity utilization numbers for the LTISDTPIA. I obtained these from another concerned citizen who received them through the Texas Public Information Act and passed them on to me.

Campus Student Capacity Student Enrollment Utilization
Lake Travis Elementary
850
704
83%
Lake Pointe Elementary
850
599
70%
Bee Cave Elementary
850
564
66%
Lakeway Elementary
850
726
85%
Lake Travis Middle
900
786
87%
Hudson Bend Middle
900
527
59%
Lake Travis High
2500
1670
67%

It seems that this has become a political hot potato for the current Board President as she spends much time discussing the issue.

Of particular interest is the statement from one of her recent documents that “Once a developer buys a large tract of land, the price becomes significantly higher, and they are most often very reluctant to sell their valuable property to the school district.” Now we know why they had their sights set on the Grumbel’s property! If that were not already evident.

Why didn’t they plan for this land need earlier?

Let’s dissect her statements and extrapolate from our current school situations.

Susan Tolles says that “we have been charged with finding seven tracts of land totaling over 315 acres.”

That is a lot of land!

And to think that the school board thought that they could buy all of that with $157 Million?

Considering that the current schools sit on the following acreage and building size :

Campus Building Area (sq ft) Land Area (acres)
Lake Travis Elementary
104,866
27.72
Lake Pointe Elementary
88,613
10.14
Bee Cave Elementary
86,107
18.6
Lakeway Elementary
87,231
33
Lake Travis Middle
104,135
29
Hudson Bend Middle
120,239
28.5
Lake Travis High
281,326
60
Total
872,517
206.96

We can assume that the seven “new” properties are for the same type of schools that we already have. This leaves a total land area of 108 acres less than the 315 acres that Susan says the district is currently seeking.

Tell us LTISD Board, what do you want to put on that “extra” 100+ acres?

She also says that the district is seeking “100+ acres of land for a high school.”

Why does the LTISD need 100+ acres for a new high school?

The current high school occupies 60 acres and has a capacity of 2500 students. Extrapolating from the current capacity and land area, a 100 acre school would have the capacity for at least 4167 students! Also, she says that the district will not need this school until at least 2014. That means that the district expects to have 6667 high school students by 2014?

Finally, in her email, Susan lets us know her real intentions which are to keep the current regime in power. Here is an excerpt from that email:

“This election is very critical to the future of the district. We have made significant progress over the past five years, and the continuation of that progress would be in jeopardy with a significant change in the board and administration. Our superintendent is one of the best in the state, highly sought-after by other districts. Losing him would be devastating for the future our kids’ education, and would mean halting the significant plans we have for the future while new leadership took over with their own plans. The current board and administration have worked to bring integrity and greater trust to the district, something that was lacking for many years. We believe in our schools and in the potential for becoming one of the premier districts in the nation.”

Progress?
  • Do you call only achieving an academic rating of “Academically Acceptable” in 2006 progress?
  • Do you call the mismanagement of the Serene Hills construction project progress?
  • Do you call your own violation of student confidentiality progress?
  • Do you call the district’s continued pattern violating student confidentiality progress?
  • Do you call the findings by the Office of Civil Rights progress?
  • Do you call the excessive superintendent’s salary progress?
  • Do you call lack of planning and the district’s subsequent attempt to impose eminent domain progress?

Having said this, your statements concerning “integrity and greater trust” are just empty words. Susan, you like to throw out that word “integrity” a lot. Why? Do you think if we hear you say it enough, we will believe it?

“A lie told often enough becomes the truth.”-Vladimir Lenin

Did you wonder just how the LTISD compares to a “high growth” school district? »« Did you know that in 2006 the LTISD was given a rating of “Academically Acceptable” by the TEA?