FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – Fort Bend ISD has voted to close seven elementary schools as part of a proposal to handle the district’s budget deficit.
During an Agenda Review Workshop on Monday, the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees voted on closing some schools individually and some were voted on in groups.
The following are the schools slated for closure, and the board will vote on each:
- Austin Parkway Elementary - 4-3 vote to close
- Dulles Elementary - 4-3 vote to close
- Glover Elementary - 4-3 vote to close
- Ridgegate Elementary - 4-3 vote to close
- Sugar Mill Elementary - 4-3 vote to close
- Mission West Elementary - 4-3 vote to close
- Arizona Fleming Elementary - 4-3 vote to close
“This was a tough day,” said board member Dr. Shirley Gilliam. “I truly wish some things would have been a little bit different, but that’s where we are now.”
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“We are looking to course correct because we don’t have the enrollment that we’re built for, we have other pressures with TEA,” said board member Afshi Charania. “And yes, there will be economic consequences of families making other choices, but there will be longer-lasting economic consequences of not doing anything either.”
“My heart breaks for the 3,000 (students) that are impacted by these changes because I know it’s emotional, but at the end of the day, we have to do what is best for the education of those children as well as the other 70,000 that we’re entrusted with,” said board president Kristin K. Tassin.
Along with the closures, the district also approved the implementation of districtwide elementary attendance boundary changes, as well as attendance boundaries for the opening of Amy Coleman Middle School.
Why are these changes happening?
FBISD officials said fewer students are enrolling, some schools are way under capacity (like a school built for 800 kids but only 300 attend), and that there is a growing budget deficit. In other words, they’re paying to run buildings that aren’t full.
District officials say this plan will better match the number of seats with the number of students, save money by closing some schools, and reduce operating costs.
What happens now?
Now that the changes have been approved, they will be implemented before the next school year starts.
For the schools that are closing, student records will be moved from one school to another. Staff will be reassigned, transportation will be figured out, and the district will be working on helping families and students adjust to the changes.