For Pflugerville ISD, 2009 was shaped by optimism and caution.

In February, the school district looked poised to begin plans to develop its fourth high school, when more than 50 people expressed their thoughts and asked questions about the possible construction of a fourth high school that would be focused around college and career readiness at a forum at the PISD’s boardroom.

While school officials say they do plan on building another comprehensive high school further down the road, the aim of the career and college high school would be to help combat the dropout rate, allow for some population relief at the other campuses and keep construction costs down, as well as preparing students for work after high school. According to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts December 2008 publication Texas Works: Training and Education for all Texans, the number of jobs requiring technical training, certifications or associates degrees is outpacing the number of people available to fill them despite the fact many pay above-average salaries.

“The job world is changing and we need new ways to approach education and we are cognizant of that,” said Mark Kincaid, Executive Director of College and Career Readiness for Pflugerville ISD.

The school was eyed to be one of choice for any student in 10th through 12th grade in the Pflugerville district, and have a 1,500- to 1,800-student capacity. Plans were to have it operational from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on week days.

With a lack of college and career high schools in the Central Texas area, Pflugerville officials say they have studied models in Mansfield, Irving, Frisco and Spring Texas, as well as several in Florida and Oklahoma.

In May, school board officials unanimously voted to approve the vision and concept of High School Number Four.

At the time, Pflugerville officials were planning to open the school in two phases, beginning in fall 2012 with a completion date scheduled for fall 2013. However officials said it is likely a bond election will be called in August 2010 for the November 2010 ballot.

But earlier this month, PISD leaders announced that the construction and opening of High School Four is being delayed.

Citing a demographic report that predicts steady but slower than expected growth, district officials highlighted the current realities facing the district, but emphasized that the timeline extension would not mean stopping the project altogether.

“Our report shows that from the 2008-2009 to 2009-2010 school years Pflugerville saw a zero-percent growth [at the high school level] and is only expected to grow an additional 3 percent [about 214 students] for the 2010-2011 school year,” said Kincaid.

With the majority of the growth expected to affect Hendrickson High School, Pflugerville ISD officials say all of the high schools have some room to accommodate more students. That, therefore, can delay the building of this College/Career format high school that was originally set to open up in the 2012 or 2013 school year.

Still expected to house about 1,500 students and offer career academies and alternative learning opportunities, the proposed campus size is still unknown, as is the exact cost of the building and how long the delay will be.

Also this year, Pflugerville ISD officials decided to delay the opening of Jose Riojas Elementary School until the 2010-11 school year. Students previously zoned to

attend Riojas in 2009-10 will remain at their current campuses.

District officials cited declining enrollment projections and