Enrollment is rising faster than new schools can be built, leading AISD to prepare for a temporary shift to portable classrooms. AISD’s growth has strained campuses to this point despite more than $685 million in voter-approved bonds over the past two years.
The district broke ground on Elementary School No. 5 on Nov. 18 and has plans for additional school facilities, but these new buildings will not be ready for students until the 2027-28 school year.
“Short-term portable classrooms may be used until the new campus opens,” AISD Superintendent Courtney Carpenter said. “It’s a delicate balance, meeting today’s needs while responsibly preparing for tomorrow’s growth.”
What's happening
Over the past five years, AISD enrollment increased by 2,246 students, a nearly 77% increase, according to district documents.
This trend is unique to AISD as most other districts in the Region 11 Education Service District, an organization that provides support to public schools, are seeing enrollment numbers decrease, according to Zonda Education.
“Argyle ISD’s reputation for academic excellence, strong extracurricular programs and a close-knit community continues to attract families,” board President Sam Slaton said.
The district passed a $262 million bond in 2022, and voters approved another $423 million bond in May to fund new school construction, land purchases, and bus and technology infrastructure improvements.
However, three elementary campuses are within five students of capacity.
“As enrollment continues to rise and class sizes exceed state limits, portable buildings may be needed temporarily,” Slaton said.
Chief Communications Officer Rick Herrin said the number of portables the district might need is unknown and will depend on the demographer’s report, which is expected mid-December.
The cost of portables will depend on market rates, Herrin said.
How we got here
One of the factors driving AISD’s growth is the amount of residential development in the area.
Town Manager Mike Sims said the town of Argyle’s population has increased by over 50% in the past five years because of the town’s location.
Within AISD’s boundaries, there are 27 subdivisions with active development and 17 future subdivisions in various stages of planning, according to district documents.
The Harvest development, which is zoned for Jane Ruestmann Elementary, has a total of 640 occupied homes with 118 more under construction.
In addition, all 2,300 acres of Furst Ranch in western Flower Mound are zoned for AISD.
“Families want to be part of a district that combines high expectations with personal connections, and Argyle [ISD] embodies that balance,” Slaton said.
The impact
Instructional expenditures have increased along with growth. Carpenter said AISD hired 50 new teaching positions ahead of the 2025-26 school year to keep class size ratios at the recommended 22-1 ratio.
Of the district’s $67.89 million in projected expenses, $55.23 million was allocated to payroll.
Diving deeper
The town of Argyle is also growing along with the school district over the past five years, and town officials are working to balance residential and commercial development.
“We’ve had this really big burst of residential growth, and right now we’re trying to see if we can balance out in a much more thoughtful way and concentrate on some commercial growth,” Sims said.
Current efforts are centered on strengthening the downtown area by attracting more restaurants and small businesses, Sims said.
Although beneficial for the area’s small businesses, the town’s growth is a challenge for the local infrastructure, Sims said.
“I’m always worried about maintaining our roadway system,” Sims said. “We try to do what we can to calm traffic and make sure that we have some safety. There’s those challenges on your infrastructure system, and I think the positive side of it would be more opportunities for our small businesses.”
Sims said town staff and school district staff meet frequently to share updates on upcoming projects and are collaborating to manage the area’s growth.
“Building the middle school and then the new elementary school on FM 407, that’s taken a lot of coordination to make sure that we’re helping the school district be able to achieve its goals in that construction project,” Sims said.
Looking ahead
Argyle ISD continues to plan for the district’s future growth with the purchase of 128 acres in Northlake. The AISD board of trustees approved the land purchase during a special meeting Oct. 30.
In addition, once the new middle school is complete, the middle school along US 377 will become the district’s second high school.
“As we transition to a two-high-school model in 2027, our focus is on maintaining the small-school feel and strong culture that define Argyle ISD while providing expanded opportunities for students,” Carpenter said. “We’re building not just schools, but pathways that help every student maximize their potential.”
