Keller ISD will hold a special meeting Jan. 16 to discuss the possibility of splitting into separate two districts. If approved, the district would need to meet other requirements to move forward with the plan, including getting approval from the Tarrant County Commissioners Court and holding an election.

The details

Jake Kobersky, Director of Media Relations for the Texas Education Agency, said the TEA is not presently involved with this issue since it is a local matter. He added that Chapter 13 of the Texas Education Code speaks to the creation, consolidation and abolition of school districts.

According to Subchapter C of Chapter 13, which deals with creation of a district by detachment, in order for Keller ISD to split into two separate districts several requirements must be met, including:
  • Minimum area and attendance requirements: A new district cannot be less than 9 square miles or fewer than 8,000 students in average daily attendance, nor can it be reduced to these numbers.
  • Initiation of detachment: Creation of a new district by detachment is initiated by resolution of the board of trustees of each district from which territory is to be detached or by a petition presented to the commissioners court.
  • Election: Not later than the 30th day after the date the commissioners court receives a petition under this subchapter, the commissioners court shall hold a hearing on the validity of the petition. If the commissioners court determines the petition is valid, each board of trustees shall order an election to be held on the same date in each district. The creation of a new district needs at least 25% of the registered voters of each district to vote in the election to pass.
According to Subchapter C, if all the requirements are met, the commissioners court shall enter an order creating the new school district.

In addition, any real property in the territory that detaches would become the property of the new district. The new district would also assume, and is liable for, any portion of outstanding debt of the district from which the territory was detached that is allocated to the new district.