Denton residents learned on Nov. 10 that Denton Independent School District (DISD) has drafted new attendance boundaries for several middle and high schools, a plan tied to the opening of the district’s fifth comprehensive high school, Mia Price High, slated for the 2028‑29 school year.
Assistant Superintendent Lacey Rainey presented the recommendations to the board of trustees during its regular meeting. The proposal leaves elementary zones unchanged but reshapes feeder patterns and high‑school zones to balance capacity as the district anticipates continued residential growth along the U S 380 corridor.
Key high‑school changes include shifting a portion of Braswell High’s western zone to Price, moving a small southern sector of Denton High to Guyer High and rezoning an eastern section of Denton High to Price, transferring a small northern section of Guyer High to Denton High, and moving parts of Ryan High’s northern zone to Price. At the middle‑school level, Rodriguez Middle will feed into Price instead of Braswell and absorb students from Strickland’s current zone; Calhoun Middle will send some sectors to Price rather than Denton High and cede a small area to Strickland; Strickland Middle will redirect selected areas to Price and take a small section previously zoned for Calhoun.
The district says the boundaries will not take effect until the 2028‑29 academic year, with campus assignments remaining static for 2026‑27 and 2027‑28. Capacity figures from the presentation show Braswell and Guyer high schools can hold 2,800 students each, while Denton, Ryan and Price each accommodate 2,400. Guyer is the only campus projected to see a modest enrollment increase, potentially operating slightly over capacity in 2028‑29.
DISD’s May 2023 voter‑approved bond package of more than $1.4 billion funds the construction of Mia Price High. District officials noted the new boundaries are designed to give the school room for upcoming master‑planned communities, such as the 9,000‑home Craver Ranch development slated for 2028, reducing the need for future redistricting.
Demographer Rocky Gardiner of Zonda Education, who presented housing‑trend data before the boundary review, projected DISD enrollment to approach 32,900 students in five years and 25,000 within ten years, a slower climb than earlier forecasts.
Students currently in fifth and eighth grades will be offered early transfer options in December for the 2027‑28 school year, and a “Request to Remain” application will open in fall 2027 for families wishing to stay at their current schools. While district policy typically excludes transfer students from bus service, administrators are exploring temporary shuttles if many opt to remain.
Superintendent Susannah O’Bara assured that varsity athletic and fine‑arts eligibility will be preserved for students who transfer to Price or stay at their existing campuses. She added that Price will open with grades 9‑12 to provide immediate access to varsity programs.
What’s next: The board will vote on the attendance boundaries and feeder patterns on Dec. 8. Mascot and branding selections, welcome events, and campus tours for Mia Price High are scheduled for spring 2028.
Sources: communityimpact.com
