The small schools model in Frisco has continued since its adoption nearly twenty years ago.

But when voters rejected the TRE in August of 2016, the district began to organize a long-range planning committee that would take a look at whether or not to continue with smaller schools.

And with a tenth high school set to open next year, Frisco ISD had to make a decision sooner rather than later and with a community survey of more than 4-thousand people showing 79-percent wanted to keep the small schools model that’s what appears will happen.

For Frisco ISD athletic director David Kuykendall, there are athletic advantages to staying 5A.

“Obviously, the 5A model lets more students participate,” Kuykendall said. “We always say you know in Allen they have one quarterback and here we have 9 quarterbacks, at Allen they have one valedictorian, here we have nine valedictorians.”

Had the district chosen to adopt a partial 6A school model, Plano ISD could have provided an example.

“Our numbers aren’t that much different that Frisco ISD,” Plano ISD Athletic Director Gerald Brence said. “When it comes to having one team, 9th-12th grade in one building, when you compare the numbers of all the kids in that school, and you compare them with Plano ISD (three schools – one senior high and two junior highs) it’s probably pretty close.”

For some community members, there’s a belief that there are too many high schools which dilutes the athletic talent and prevents the district from reaching its full athletic potential.

“I disagree that Frisco is watered down because FISD is extremely competitive in everything,” Brence said. “They have a lot of schools, but they have tremendous talent.”

But from the 2010-2011 school year to 2016-17, Frisco ISD claimed 8 UIL team championships, while Plano ISD took home 5.

“There’s so much going on up here, that’s why the school district is so important,” Brence said. “People are going to want to put their kids there, and where you can get everything that everyone talks about.”

A similar district to fisd is prosper: a town that has rapid growth just like Frisco has in the last 10 years.

Much like Frisco 20 years ago, Prosper ISD currently has just one high school with plans to open another one in two years, with an expected six to eight high schools when the city reaches its growth potential.

“Our growth has been coming so rapidly that we have had a hard time keeping up with it, and it has forced us to become a 6a school moving forward for the next 2 years,” Prosper ISD head athletic director Valerie Little said.

With the small schools model, however, comes the concern of funding.

“One thing we have to make sure of is being good stewards of our money,” Little said. “Even when it comes to a second high school, our facilities will mirror this one. We feel very confident in our superintendent and how he works with the financial officer to plan for our future.”

But while prosper high school will move to 6A for two years, much like Frisco, it wants to have its own small schools model allowing for more opportunities for its students.  

“We think that smaller model is very advantageous, for that reason,” Little said. “The coaches have more of a chance to interact and have personal relationships with their kids, so I think the 5A model is more advantageous for the coaches, kids, teachers, administrators…everybody.”

With Frisco ISD sticking with the small schools model, Kuykendall believes the parity in the district doesn’t take away from the high quality of play.

“I think it’s cyclical,” Kuykendall said. “Those years Liberty did so well, and they struggled lately, I think they will come back. It’s just like who has one of the best basketball teams in the district it’s Liberty, who has one of the best girls basketball teams in the district it’s Liberty. So it just depends on a given year. I don’t spend a lot of time asking all the other athletic directors around Texas, but I hope that when people play FISD, whether it be in any sport, that they need to bring their A game. I think we’ve proven that we can compete well.”