Lewisville trustees vote to close five elementary schools

Five elementary schools in Lewisville will close next year as the North Texas district faces declining enrollment.

Trustees voted Monday night to close Creekside, Garden Ridge, Highland Village, BB Owen and Polser elementary schools. Several campus sites will also be repurposed as part of the plan.

In a series of motions, Lewisville trustees voted unanimously to close four of the schools. They voted 6-1 to close Highland Village, with board member Allison Lassahn, who represents the area, voting against.

Officials have been considering the move for months as they weigh the pressing budget issues posed by a shrinking student population.

More than 4,000 seniors graduated from Lewisville last year, but fewer than 3,000 new kindergarten students joined the district this year. The number of enrolled research projects will amount to around 45,000 over the next decade. That’s down from a peak of more than 53,000.

“Our district family is shrinking,” Superintendent Lori Rapp said in an open letter to the community. “Currently, our school buildings accommodate 62,508 students, which means many of our classrooms remain empty every day.”

Lewisville isn’t alone in facing a decline in enrollment. Richardson, Coppell and Plano trustees also voted to close schools in response to new economic realities. These decisions, as in Lewisville, sparked emotional board meetings where families spoke about the critical role campuses play in their communities and in the lives of children.

Parents tearfully asked Lewisville trustees Monday night to consider how important their campus is to the neighborhood. They asked the board to remember that they bought their homes because of the schools and that their children needed stability.

“We will leave here and go home to tell our children that their beloved schools are closing, that we don’t know where their friends or teachers will end up, that we don’t know what next year will look like,” the parents say from Garden Ridge Said Rachel Rivera. “This will cause great anxiety for many of our children.”

District officials pledged resources to support the transition.

Trustees acknowledged how painful it can be to close schools but focused on their economic prospects. They are facing a multi-million dollar budget deficit.

“I took a financial oath of integrity and duty of care to do no harm,” said Trustee Sheila Taylor, who had tears in her eyes as she explained her vote. “It is neither integrity nor duty of care to support this district going bankrupt and unable to inspire the next generation of learners and leaders.”

The decision to close campus locations is expected to save Lewisville ISD more than $2 million annually.

One school will be closed in each feeder district of the district.

When campus enrollment declines, it puts a strain on the district’s budget. Texas schools are funded based on how many students show up each day.

Lawmakers have not increased the base amount per child — $6,160 — since 2019, despite rising inflation. That has been hampered in recent legislative sessions by unsuccessful efforts to pass a voucher-like program that would allow public funds to flow toward private school tuition.

“The lack of financing adjustments in our state has put a strain on our budget in recent years,” said Rapp.

Many of the parents who spoke Monday also directed their anger at Austin. Jon Pyle, a Highland Village parent, asked trustees to keep his family’s school open and send a message to lawmakers.

“Highland Village Elementary is an amazing school in every way. It should be a narrative where you explain to the state why we need more funding,” Pyle said.

“If nothing changes in Austin,” he added, “the county will go bankrupt either way. So operate at a loss.”

Lewisville leaders recently took other steps to trim the district’s budget, including reducing the number of central office positions.

Several factors are responsible for Lewisville’s population decline, including lower birth rates and the decision of some families to pursue other options such as charter or private schools. Officials added that it was difficult for many young families to live within county boundaries.

Some Lewisville community members who spoke Monday thanked trustees for considering the district’s long-term financial health.

“With these projected deficits, I would not be able to maintain my household budget and I appreciate the board working hard and making the adjustments now,” Michelle Hernandez said.

The final Lewisville ISD parent to speak Monday night urged the crowd to remain aware of the political issues that influenced trustees’ decision to close schools. Melissa Adams criticized the state’s Republican leaders, who she said have “systematically starved our schools.”

“These failures don’t stop at the state level,” she said. “How can we keep our classrooms full when housing policies make it unaffordable to live here? … I urge all parents, teachers and residents here: Don’t let this fight end with this vote. Channel your frustration where it belongs: on the leaders who have failed us.”

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