Because of decreases in enrollment, the LISD school board trustees voted to retire Highland Village Elementary in a 6-1 vote. Board member Allison Lassahn, who represents the zone, cast the dissenting vote.
This decision comes after several months of meetings and deliberations among members of the board and the local community regarding the future of the school as well as the funding of LISD.
In addition to Highland Village, the board also voted to retire B. B. Owen, Creekside and Garden Ridge Elementaries, as well as Polser Stem Academy.These closures will go into effect at the start of the 2025-26 school year, giving both the schools and district several months to prepare for these changes.
The school retirements are part of a strategy by LISD to curb its growing budget deficits in the face of stagnating state funding From lower enrollment. School districts in Texas receive lower funding when schools within the district have declining attendance.
Areas of the district have advanced-age populations who no longer have elementary aged children, and officials have stated that new families with young children are priced out of homes within some LISD boundaries. Due to these factors, LISD has elected to consolidate its elementary schools as it prepares for future population decline.
“Our district family is getting smaller,” superintendent Dr. Lori Rapp said in a letter to the community.
At the end of the 2023-24 school year 4,015 seniors graduated from LISD high schools, but the district only enrolled 2,767 kindergartners. To deal with these challenges, LISD has elected to shrink rather than try to boost enrollment.
Though the redistricting is seemingly a smart fiscal move which could save LISD an estimated $2.3 million a year, the closure of the schools, specifically Highland Village, has sparked concerns in the community, including Marcus students connected to the school.
“I went there from kindergarten to 5th grade,” junior George Hazlewood said. “I wanted to be able to walk it.”
The closure will have more than a sentimental impact on the community, however. The school retirements will likely negatively impact the property values for homeowners living near the schools, as proximity to education is a large incentive when selling a home.
Transportation is another key issue that will also present challenges for both the district and parents.
The redistricting’s greatest impact, though, will likely be on employees at the now retired schools. Though LISD has promised in a public statement that all staff members in the closing schools ‘will maintain positions within LISD,’ what this means for each employee, especially maintenance and student nutrition personnel, is yet to be determined.
For the communities affected though the results for the closure seems certain.
”Those were my first real memories,” Senior Caleb Kim said. “I’m going to miss it.”
