Fort Bend ISD approves controversial feeder patterns, academies plan

SUGAR LAND, TX (KTRK) -- The Fort Bend County school board approved a controversial plan to alleviate overcrowded classrooms. But some major changes were made to the propsal before it passed.

Meet Sahilahah Shah. He's a ninth grader at Elkins High School in the engineering academy.

"I love Elkins and the environment of Elkins. I'm also on the debate team," he said. "Everybody knows freshmen year is always a little hazy because you're trying to make friendships."

But instead of focusing on his freshmen year, he's had to deal with with a cloud of uncertainty. With Fort Bend ISD proposing to change feeder patterns and boundaries for most of its schools in order to balance out enrollment and plan for growth, next year Shah and 204 other students at the district's academies were slated to change schools.

"Essentially do your freshmen all over again," he said.

Shah, along with his dad, fought back.

"Why uproot 205 students? Why are you just doing this for this set of students?" his father, Paul Shah, said.

Parents spoke out criticizing the districts proposal to grandfather the high school freshman, but not the academy freshmen. Monday night's meeting was packed with parents eager for a decision.

And with seven green lights, it was a decision in their favor. Elkins High will keep the engineering program and the freshmen at the other academies are grandfathered in, too, and won't have to change schools.

"I appreciate the board listening to us and doing what's right for the kids," Paul Shah said.