LISD budget shortfall to change student zoning, programs this fall

The Learning Center houses programs including night high school and LISD’s food pantry. The success center hosts the Disciplinary Alternative Education Program and Teaching for Emotional, Academic and Motivational Success program.

The programs are proposed to move to about 10 different campuses and facilities across LISD.

“Centralizing these programs in a single location creates accessibility challenges for some feeder patterns,” Superintendent Lori Rapp said.

LISD officials also voted to convert Mill Street Elementary into a preschool. The conversion will increase the district’s early education capacity for the Lewisville High School feeder pattern.

Some background

Enrollment dropped by about 7,000 students in 10 years, declining from 53,396 in FY 2015-16 to 46,371 in FY 2025-26. Texas school districts receive funding from the state based on average daily attendance. Previous Community Impact reporting shows trustees voted to close several elementary schools in December 2024 to combat the budget challenges caused by the state funding loss, inflation, stagnant per-student allotment and declining enrollment.

The state’s contribution to the district’s budget dropped by roughly $20 million between FY 2015-16 and 2025-26. Local funding sources contributed about $150 million more in FY 2025-26 than in FY 2015-16. Home values have increased since 2015, resulting in more local funding, but the stagnant student allotment has not kept pace with inflation, Chief Financial Officer Scott Wrehe said.

“The state funding formula has not been adjusted enough to help the district account for the significant inflationary costs we have faced since 2019,” Wrehe said.

Looking ahead

Mill Street students will be reassigned to one of four campuses based on location and bilingual status. Nonbilingual students will be reassigned to Valley Ridge STEM Academy, and bilingual students will transfer to Lakeland, Lewisville or Prairie Trail elementary, based on zoning and availability, per the turnaround plan. Valley Ridge Elementary School could receive as many as 160 students, while the other three campuses could absorb up to 100 students, LISD Communications Director Samantha Fitzpatrick said.

Fitzpatrick added the program relocations will require renovations at the new campuses. District officials are working with an architect to determine the work’s scope. Officials plan to relocate the programs by the 2026-27 school year.