Coppell school leaders voted Monday night to shutter the district's oldest elementary school because of budget issues caused in part by declining enrollment since the pandemic.
During a district meeting, trustees agreed in a 4-3 vote to close Pinkerton Elementary for the 2025-26 school year.
The school first opened in 1928 and serves families like Place 6 Trustee Nicole Bentley’s, who said her child is a Cowpoke alumnus. While she wasn’t happy about the decision to close the school, she did vote in favor.
“My Cowpoke told me that it’s OK, and that we need to do what we need to do for Coppell now,” she said through tears. “So to hear that from your 23-year-old is pretty humbling.”
As of Aug. 31, the district is facing a $6.8 million budget shortfall. Closing the school is estimated to save the district $2.1 million.
But Place 2 Trustee Manish Sethee, who voted against the decision, said it prioritizes some school communities over others.
“To me, every culture is unique in their own ways,” Sethee said.
Elementary enrollment in the district is expected to drop by more than 550 students in the next three years and nearly 700 students in the next four years, according to the district’s enrollment projections. There are currently 1,200 open seats in elementary schools across the district.
If their enrollment projections hold true, Coppell ISD would receive $4.4 million less in funding by the 2028-29 school year, district officials said.
Pinkerton students will be sent to Wilson or Austin elementary schools.
While the closure of the school was top of mind, members from the community also expressed concern about the consolidation of a dual-language program. Board members ultimately decided to direct administrators to explore options around what to do with the program, while public speakers stressed the program's importance.
Jennifer Dolce Martinez, a parent of two kids in the program for students who speak English as a second language, worried there were no ESL or Latino families included in the decision of consolidating the bilingual program from Wilson to Denton Creek.
“There are too many misconceptions, assumptions and simply incorrect information around ESL students,” Martinez said.
Carolina Villareal, a parent at Wilson, said she chose the school because of the bilingual program.
“I’m struggling with how to explain to my kids that they must change schools because they are Spanish speakers,” Villareal said.
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