Frequent Questions (FAQs)

The first draft of the master plan placed the fields east of the high school. After receiving feedback from the community, the stadium was moved southeast to provide a wider buffer from the neighboring community.

The areas to the east and southeast of the planned high school were chosen because of the naturally-flat terrain. They also provide the greatest amount of privacy for our neighbors because they push the 2-story high school forward and away from the property line.

The chosen location also limits the impact on local wildlife, limits destruction of trees and the local habitat, and limits impact to natural land grading and water run-off.

Life School does not consider itself a competitor with Duncanville ISD. We support any school that serves students and families well; and we welcome opportunities to be community partners with other schools in the community.

Strong schools improve education for all families and add to the appeal of the local community.

It is also important to note that many Life School families will attend from other areas in the Best Southwest. Charter schools are not limited to traditional city boundaries when enrolling families.

Providing wider educational opportunities in a community can lead to lower unemployment, less reliance on public assistance, and higher tax revenue. It can also help reduce crime, improve public health, and increase political and civic engagement.

Research also shows a strong connection between increased school spending and higher graduation rates. One study found that when per-pupil spending increased by 10% across all 12 school-age years, students were more likely to complete more years of school and earn more as adults.

Life School currently holds a 100% graduation rate.

A new school can positively affect property values because of 1) reputation and 2) stability.

Families often consider schools when choosing a residential community. A new public charter school with a positive reputation can cause property values to increase as families move to the area.

Quality schools also tend to remain stable, even during economic challenges. This can create a "halo effect" on nearby neighborhoods, which can be perceived as more stable, with higher incomes, and lower crime rates. Homes in desirable school zones can be a solid long-term investment and can be more attractive to potential buyers, which can make selling your home easier and potentially more profitable.

It is not uncommon for realtors to include area schools and their distances from seller listings.

Life School is investing more than $3 million in road improvements to mitigate impact on Cockrell Hill and Danieldale. Plans include two new turning lanes on each roadway to minimize impact to day-to-day traffic.

The school’s distance from the road enables the school to queue up to 260 cars on private, campus roads; preventing the need to queue cars on Cockrell Hill and Danieldale.

Additionally, the school is investing in new traffic lights and expanding the current turning lane at Cockrell Hill and Danieldale to benefit the local community. While these improvements benefit the school during drop-off and pick-up times; the improvements benefit the community all hours of the day; including most Fridays when Life School is closed because of its 4-day school week.

It is customary for city leadership—not the buyer—to initiate communication with residents. Once residents were informed of the project, Life School held public town halls and met with community residents to review plans and make adjustments where feasible.

Prior to the purchase of the property by Life School, it was owned by A.W. Brown Leadership Academy who purchased it in 2007 with an intent to construct a new school.

In 2007, the property was purchased by A.W. Brown Leadership Academy for school development. Life School later purchased the property, continuing its intended purpose for a new school.

It is common for schools to pursue a Planned Development (PD). Planned Developments can include a variety of amenities, such as schools, parks, recreational facilities, and utilities.

In such circumstances, Texas courts have ruled that a municipality's zoning authority is secondary to the authority of a public school district, unless the municipality can show that the school district is acting in an unreasonable or arbitrary manner.

After purchasing the property, Life School met with neighborhood leaders; listened to community feedback; and made adjustments to the plan where feasible, including relocating the athletic fields; investing an additional $3 million in road improvements; establishing plans for stone fencing and a tree buffer along the read of the property; and investing in light and sound upgrades for the athletic fields.

Life School worked with light engineers and also conducted a lighting study to ensure that stadium lights drop to zero foot candles before the property line.

*Light intensity is often measured in foot-candles, which measures the amount of light that hits a one-square-foot surface from a consistent light source that's one foot away. One foot-candle is equal to one lumen per square foot, where a lumen is the total amount of visible light emitted by a source. A higher number of lumens indicates brighter light, while a lower number indicates dimmer light.  Foot-candles are commonly used by lighting professionals to calculate light levels in businesses and outdoor spaces.