Prosper ISD staff presented proposed attendance boundary changes for middle schools and a recommendation to delay opening Watkins Middle School, saying the proposals aim to balance enrollment as the district continues rapid growth.

At an informational presentation Oct. 20, district planner McLaughlin outlined two proposals: new attendance zones for a planned Bridges Middle School (described in the presentation as relieving Rogers and Jones middle schools) and a plan to delay opening Watkins Middle School so the district can better assess enrollment and reduce near‑term budget pressure.

Why it matters: Boundary adjustments determine which campuses students attend and can affect transportation, feeder patterns and siblings. The district described the plan as a response to long‑term growth projections and more recent housing and economic data; trustees were told the recommendations are intended to minimize program and staffing cuts while managing a fiscal deficit.

Key elements of the proposal
- Bridges Middle School: The proposed Bridges zone would relieve Rogers (the largest middle school) and Jones (tied for second largest). McLaughlin described the Bridges attendance zone as including all students who currently attend Johnson Elementary and portions of Liliana and Reeves elementaries. The presentation emphasized that the proposed changes would not alter current high‑school feeder patterns for students already assigned to a particular high school pathway.

- Liliana and Reeves elementaries: The district presented maps and said Liliana is already split between different high school pathways; under the proposal, Coit Road remains the dividing line for those feeder patterns. Reeves would be split, with students in a brown‑highlighted area (bounded by Frontier, Ladd‑Howell Parkway/380, Custer and Ridge) zoned to Bridges and Walnut Grove High School, while students east of Ridge Road would remain on the Jones → Rock Hill pathway.

- Rising eighth graders and choice: The administration proposed that rising eighth graders impacted by the rezoning would be allowed to remain at their current middle school (Jones or Rogers) through eighth grade provided families furnish transportation. Students may alternatively move to the newly zoned Bridges Middle School.

- Delay of Watkins Middle School opening: The administration recommended pausing the opening of Watkins for one year, citing a combination of fiscal factors and recent enrollment trends. The presenter said the district began the school year with a roughly $29 million deficit and that pausing Watkins’ opening allows the district to save millions without cutting student programs or staff positions.

Public engagement and next steps
District officials said they will hold listening circles and collect feedback online; families impacted by Bridges, Rogers, Watkins, Reynolds and Moseley attendance zones will receive notification and a chance to comment. McLaughlin told the board this is an informational presentation and that a final, action‑level recommendation will be brought to the board in November.

Administration context and numbers presented
Staff described ongoing demographic monitoring — quarterly demographer analysis and weekly enrollment tracking — as the basis for the boundary recommendation. The presentation noted continuing enrollment growth at the district level and that the district added roughly 20 students the prior week. Staff also referenced recent state funding and homestead exemption changes that affect taxable value growth and the district’s financial model.

Trustee direction and limitations
Trustees did not vote on the proposal at the Oct. 20 meeting; the board asked the administration to schedule listening sessions and to return with a finalized recommendation in approximately one month. The administration stated families impacted by previous commitments (for example families given a choice to stay at Reynolds last year) would be honored for the 2026–27 school year.

Ending: The board received the presentation as an informational item; formal action on attendance boundaries is scheduled for November following community input.