LISD is continuing to explore opening enrollment and repurposing facilities as it experiences declining enrollment in the southern portion of the district and growing enrollment in the north.
The update
In August 2028, LISD plans to open Elementary School No. 31 at the intersection of CR 175 and FM 2243, and Elementary School No. 32 in the Travisso neighborhood.
The design of Elementary School No. 31 is nearing completion and will be similar to Hisle Elementary, which opened in August, Superintendent Bruce Gearing said. The campus’ estimated opening is expected to coincide with the completion of road work in the area, he said.
“I don’t think we can delay the elementary school any longer than '28 based on the projections,” Gearing said.
Voters approved $71.4 million for Elementary School No. 31 and $79.9 million for Elementary School No. 32 in the district’s 2023 bond election.
Some context
LISD has planned to open new elementary schools and an early childhood center to accommodate growth in the northern part of the district. Meanwhile, some campuses in the central and southern portion of the district are under capacity and are projected to see slowing or declining enrollment.
“We have schools that are very under-enrolled. We have schools that are busting at capacity,” school board President Gloria Gonzales-Dholakia said. “Ideally, we would have them all at capacity.”
What else?
District officials have discussed opening enrollment to students residing outside of LISD’s boundaries. At the Jan. 23 meeting, Chief Operations Officer Jeremy Trimble said the district would need to approve a policy around May or June to open enrollment to students beginning in the 2026-27 school year.
LISD should refine its process for students transferring between campuses within the district before opening enrollment, Trimble said. Additionally, LISD needs to monitor the impact of open enrollment policies in other districts, such as Frisco ISD, he said.
The district could announce some changes to attendance boundaries in the summer or fall that would affect the 2026-27 school year, Gearing said.
Looking ahead
In the next one to three months, LISD plans to establish a process to implement a policy and develop regulations around open enrollment, Trimble said.
District officials may present a list of potential project needs in February and opportunities for repurposing campuses in June, according to district documents.
LISD has around $100 million in 2023 bond funds that could go toward repurposing facilities, Trimble said.
The district may call a potential bond election in May 2026, district officials said.
