School Closure Proposal in Fort Worth ISD: Reasons and Affected Locations Revealed
Closing schools ain't a walk in the park, but Fantasy Reynolds, leader of the R4 Foundation, ain't one to shy away from a tough call. Standing before the Fort Worth ISD trustees, she pleaded: Make the tough decision, for the kids' sake.
"Consolidating schools provides a massive opportunity for our district to invest in our students, not those old, crumbling buildings that need new roofs," Reynolds, a resident of Ridglea Hills and mother of four Fort Worth ISD grads, declared.
The ongoing debate in Fort Worth has been all about push and pull. Financial, demographic, and academic realities are pushing district leaders to propose the shutdown of 14 schools, along with four already approved campuses, over the next five years. Trustees will be reviewing the plan at their May 20 meeting.
The district's buildings plan, conjointly developed with consultant Hoar Program Management from Alabama, tackles two major challenges: shrinking enrollment and aging infrastructure.
FWISD has lost over 12,783 students since 2019 and anticipates shedding another 6,556 by 2030. To maintain its buildings, the district would need to fork out a whopping $1.2 billion in repairs over the next five years.
The objective, officials assert, is to stops spending dough on half-empty buildings and reroute it into classrooms. By doing away with schools, the district can shed more than 8,800 unused seats and save over $77 million over five years - primarily from dodging future repairs and cutting support staff.
The financial benefits would support enhanced academic offerings, including pre-K seats, literacy support, and programs concentrated on gifted-and-talented students, as well as science, technology, engineering, and math.
"The kids deserve more," Superintendent Karen Molinar said. "They need STEM activities incorporated into their campuses every day. That takes resources."
Parental Apprehensions
Westpark, Tanglewood, Overton Park - these elementaries are causing headaches for resident and mom Kelly Moreno, who compares them to her kid's campus, De Zavala. Despite all four being A-rated schools, De Zavala has a higher percentage of students from low-income families and a demographic closer to the district overall.
"Only one of these schools is slated for closure," Moreno lamented. "There are smart, hard decisions and there are foolish ones. It appears the district believes ratings don't matter for school closures, but the state has made it abundantly clear that they do."
Board President Roxanne Martinez questioned the superintendent about the closure of an A-rated campus such as De Zavala and its impact on the district's overall accountability rating.
Ratings vary each year, Molinar replied.
"It's tricky for us to do projections," she said. "Will closing an A campus hurt our overall rating? It all depends on that year, that test, and that day."
Edward J. Briscoe Elementary teacher Ashley Dean told the board that students there must walk nearly a mile to school each day, encountering busy intersections and other hazards. If Briscoe shuts down, their walk would double.
"Would it be reasonable for your own children to trudge 1.7 miles each way for the universal human right of an education?" Dean asked trustees.
Molinar responded, offering to walk the route herself when necessary.
"If there's danger for our students or unsafe sidewalks, we will add routes," she pledged.
Trustee Wallace Bridges thanked Molinar for her assurance. Parents were also curious if all Briscoe students would be guaranteed transportation to their new schools.
Molinar confirmed that the district would review boundaries to keep walking distances to a minimum and consider adding routes for students with safety concerns.
Monica Hernandez, a J.T. Stevens Elementary PTA member, argued that families spent years building up the school's applied learning program. Now, she pointed out, it's being transferred to another campus without the staff, culture, or community that made it successful.
"We're more than just a building," she said. "We're a program."
Trustee Anne Darr inquired whether the applied learning model would be preserved or diluted in the transition.
Officials replied that the program would be relocated and expanded at another school, with personnel provided to maintain instructional continuity. The district aims to extend applied learning across more campuses.
"We're not canceling the programming," Molinar stressed. "It's just the facility."
Looming Takeover
Over and over, speakers reminded FWISD leaders that the Texas Education Agency is keeping a close eye. The state is weighing the prospect of taking control of the district following closed sixth-grade campus, Peaslee Middle, earning an F five years in a row. A decision is expected in August.
In August, the state is predicted to unveil its accountability ratings for 2024 and 2025, along with test results from the spring standardized test. A smattering of schools teeter on the brink of activating the state's intervention law. If the state decides to act, it would have two options: seize control of the district or close the struggling schools.
Reynolds, the R4 Foundation leader, reminded the trustees that improved academics are achievable through school closures.
"These consolidation efforts may be hard to swallow," she acknowledged, "but by doing this, it means we can allocate valuable resources to foster our students to reach their full potential. The consolidation, in my view, is about making things better for all our kids."
"The R4 Foundation, led by Fantasy Reynolds, advocates for investing in education instead of old, crumbling school buildings, emphasizing the importance of STEM activities and other academic offerings. This push coincides with the Fort Worth ISD's plan to close struggling schools due to financial, demographic, and academic realities. However, concerns about community impact, transportation, and the potential closure of high-performing schools have been raised by parents and teachers, especially those affected by the proposed closure of Edward J. Briscoe Elementary."
"The Texas Education Agency is closely monitoring the Fort Worth ISD, with a decision on a possible district takeover expected in August, following Peaslee Middle's fifth consecutive F rating. Meanwhile, the district is anticipating the release of accountability ratings and test results in August, which may indicate struggling schools close to activating the state's intervention law."
"The ongoing debate highlights the interconnectedness of science, education, technology, and community, with the decision to close schools potentially impacting not only the immediate education of students but also the broader development of the district and the community as a whole."
