FBSun Article On Latest Zoning Decision Impacting Sienna Area Families-

Protest forces rethink of rezoning

By:DIANE TEZENO, Staff Writer


Feeling the heat of parental protest, Fort Bend ISD last week reversed an earlier plan to rezone 96 bilingual students from Burton Elementary to Blue Ridge Elementary.

Bilingual students from kindergarten through fifth-grade zoned to Scanlan Oaks and Sienna Elementary who are now attending Burton were to attend Blue Ridge for the 2006-'07 year under the previous plan. Now, the district has abandoned that plan and the students will continue to attend Burton for one more year. For the time being, Burton will remain overcrowded; the opening of a new elementary for 2007-'08 will ease that burden.

Under the new plan announced last Thursday, regular and bilingual pre-K students zoned to Burton, Goodman, Sienna Crossing and Scanlan Oaks elementary schools will go to Lantern Lane Elementary next year. The previous plan only affected regular pre-K students.

A new letter explaining the changes was sent to parents on Thursday.
The controversy took root at the May 22 board meeting, when parents protested the original changes. Other changes would have sent pre-K bilingual students zoned to Burton, Goodman, Sienna Crossing and Scanlan Oaks Elementary to Blue Ridge next year. Further, regular pre-K students zoned to Burton, Goodman, Sienna Crossing and Scanlan Oaks were to attend Lantern Lane Elementary in 2006-'07. . . (click title link above for full story)-