NEDERLAND — A paid consultant who’s leading a community effort to improve schools here said this week that a new study suggests school growth may be less robust than initially projected.

Robert Nicks, speaking Tuesday at an advisory committee meeting, said Nederland Independent School District recently received an updated demographic report that said growth may not be “as aggressive” as previously estimated.

Superintendent Robin Perez has not responded to several requests for copies of the new study or for information from the study. The Port Arthur News has formally requested the updated Templeton Demographics study under a Freedom of Information Act.

Nicks is working as a consultant with the school district and leading the volunteer committee as members weigh the need for a potential bond issue for Nederland school improvements.

In July, Templeton Demographics presented a study to the district during a regular school board meeting, which predicted the district would grow by 586 students over the next five years and 1,177 students over the next decade.

“I was hoping not to go there, because it’s going to open a can of worms,” Nicks said to committee members Tuesday. “The district has a new demographic projection that is not as aggressive as the one that is put in your book. In the original, the five-year out was 580; the latest Templeton projection is 481 for five years.”

Each member of the committee — it has as many as 80 members — was given a booklet than includes the July study.

This was the first time the committee heard of an updated study. Members of the Nederland school board have not yet seen the updated study.

The initial report was presented just a month before the district began the Citizens Advisory Committee to obtain community feedback on potential bond issues for next spring. The committee will meet three more times before the school board decides on the composition of bond vote.

The next CAC meeting is scheduled for Jan. 10 at Helena Park Elementary.