Decline in enrollment forces Keller ISD to reconsider school closures, five years after growth preparations
Revised Article:
Five years ago, Keller ISD braced itself for a student explosion. The district intended to remodel or replace several aging schools, thanks to a massive $315 million bond, as demographers projected an additional 2,000 students by 2028. But today, the scenario has drastically changed. Interim Superintendent Cory Wilson paints a bleak picture - fewer students, underpopulated schools, and rising expenses may force the district to shutter campuses. Already, plans are underway to close the district's two standalone pre-K campuses by the end of this school year.
"As we speak, we're looking at a little over 3,400 fewer students than our 2020 peak," Wilson shared with community members and trustees at a March 31 board meeting. "This underutilization has cast a shadow on campuses district-wide."
Keller ISD is planning to evaluate closure options this year, with a districtwide facilities audit scheduled for summer and discussions with families set to begin in the fall. The outcome may recommend shutting down one or more schools.
"Unfortunately, this analysis might lead to recommendations to close one or more campuses in the district," Wilson said. "We'll need to determine how many schools we truly need."
Discussions of school closures surfaced just twenty months after school board members proposed splitting the district, citing financial strain and governance disagreements. Although trustees ultimately dropped the idea following public backlash and further financial analysis, it widened rifts within the district without resolving long-term financial concerns under uncertain state funding.
The district's enrollment decline contrasts sharply with projections made in 2019, when demographers Zonda Education forecasted steady growth across Keller ISD, with student numbers expected to reach nearly 37,000 by 2028. District leaders had built their bond proposal around these projections, planning full replacements for Whitley Road, Parkview, Florence, and Heritage elementary schools, all struggling with below-average facility conditions or educational adequacy scores at the time. Additions and renovations ensued at Fossil Hill and Keller middle schools.
Today, enrollment stands below 32,000 students, and some of those campuses struggle to fill their classrooms. While Heritage Elementary experienced growth following its renovation, Whitley Road Elementary now enrolls merely 374 students, down from its pre-renovation peak of 438. Enrollment at Keller Middle School dropped by nearly 100 students since 2020.
Surrounding school districts like Northwest ISD, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, and Fort Worth ISD continue to expand while Keller ISD contracts. Data reveals that Northwest ISD added over 2,000 students over the last five years, driven by rapid housing development in areas like Haslet, Justin, and north Fort Worth. Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD progresses steadily, particularly in the southern part of the district near the Fort Worth city line. Fort Worth ISD, on the other hand, has been on a downward spiral, losing more than 10,000 students over the last decade, according to state data and district reports.
Keller ISD hasn't finalized the criteria for determining school closures. Enrollment-to-capacity percentages of individual campuses don't appear to be a determining factor, the district explained. Instead, administrators will examine programming needs, facility age and conditions, enrollment projections, future development in the area, and the impact on surrounding campuses and feeder schools.
Vista Ridge Middle School, currently 63.2% full but with the highest educational adequacy score (3.99 out of 4) in the district, serves as an example. Park Glen Elementary, more filled but with a lower educational adequvy score (2.13), is another. Research conducted in 2019 will soon be complemented by an anticipated audit to give updated assessments of each building's condition and long-term viability. From there, officials stated, community engagement efforts will increase.
"We're committed to community dialogue and providing numerous open forums for feedback before any action is taken," Wilson declared in March.
In parallel, Keller ISD will prepare a potential new bond proposal over the coming months, conditioned on the results of an updated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing study. A new bond could alleviate infrastructure needs across Keller ISD, but any proposal, Wilson stressed, will be shaped by the findings of the facilities audit and the outcome of the consolidation process.
The anticipated bond and potential school consolidation will occur concurrently, the district confirmed. Any infrastructure investment should ideally reflect genuine student needs, the district reiterated.
Matthew Sgroi is a reporter for the Fort Worth Report. He can be reached at [email protected] or twitter.com/matthewsgroi1.
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This article originally appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
- The enrollment decline in Keller ISD has led to discussions about school closures, raising concerns within the community.
- The district is planning to evaluate closure options, including a district-wide facilities audit and discussions with families, set for the fall.
- The potential closing of schools may be recommended due to underpopulated schools and rising expenses, but the criteria for determining school closures have not been finalized yet.
- The Keller ISD's education and self-development policy, along with its policy and legislation, will play a significant role in shaping future decisions in politics.
- The changing demographics in the Keller area and state funding are critical factors that could impact the district's education and general news moving forward.
- Keller ISD's enrollment declines are stark contrast to projections made in 2019, as neighboring districts like Northwest ISD, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, and Fort Worth ISD continue to expand.
- The district is also planning a potential new bond proposal conditioned on the results of an updated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing study, focusing on addressing infrastructure needs and aligning with science and technology developments by 2025, with a primary goal of fully serving their environmental responsibilities and serving the needs of its students.
