Coppell ISD trustees this week bucked a regional trend of closing campuses in order to save money in the face of falling enrollment and shrinking revenue – but it’s left the district looking for other ways to fill its budget deficit.
School districts across North Texas, including Richardson, Fort Worth, Plano, Frisco, Grapevine-Colleyville and others have all closed or are considering closing campuses to save money. Just last year Coppell ISD voted to close another elementary school to consolidate campuses.
Amid falling enrollment, and facing an $8.5 million deficit this year, Coppell trustees Monday night voted 5-2 not to close Town Center Elementary School. District administrators estimated a closure could save at least $1.5 million.
Before the vote, board president David Caviness urged for the school’s closure, saying the district had seen this coming for years, then got lucky, thanks to additional federal funding — because of COVID 19 — and other stimulus dollars.
“But at some point, we can't continue to hope that Austin will get their act together and bail us out,” Caviness said. “The political winds have shifted. I think we're running out of time and so to say we're going to wait means we've got to be willing to have other cuts happen for the 26-27 school year.”
The vote went the way most parents who spoke early in the meeting, like Jessica Tanner, wanted from trustees.
“Let's find smarter, community-driven solutions together,” Tanner told board members.
Caviness said all 10 of the district’s elementary schools are “great.” But he warned keeping Town Center open will mean other cuts will be necessary.
Superintendent Dr. Leanne Shivers said in a letter to parents Monday night the district will “explore other measures,” including staff cuts, to manage the budget challenges the district still faces.
The deficit could balloon to more than $12 million by next year.
“These decisions are not easy and will require thoughtful consideration to ensure we protect the long-term financial stability and educational excellence of Coppell ISD,” she wrote. “The steps ahead will likely affect many areas of our district.”
Shivers added that her staff and the school district community would “navigate these challenges” together.
Bill Zeeble is KERA’s education reporter. Got a tip? Email Bill at bzeeble@kera.org. You can follow him on X @bzeeble.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
