In May, district leaders convened the Community Efficiency Committee, which identified 20 campuses for further review that could lead to boundary adjustments or, in some cases, facility closures, Superintendent Lori Rapp said.
“Just because a campus is on [the] list doesn’t mean a decision has been made,” Rapp said. “We still have a lot of work to do before we figure out which, if any, of these campuses need further review.”
The committee is composed of more than 50 LISD stakeholders charged with working through the Facilities Assessment Document and operating costs criteria for district facilities, per district documents. Coppell ISD underwent a similar process in September.
The details
In the 2023-24 school year, LISD had around 48,000 students enrolled and enough facilities to house 53,000 students. Projections indicated enrollment would decrease by around 1,300 students in the 2024-25 school year, according to district documents.
This decline is expected to continue until enrollment levels out around 45,000 students in the next decade, Rapp said in an email. This is primarily attributed to lower birth rates and a high average home price within LISD at nearly $493,000.
The committee reviewed all 70 LISD schools and evaluated each while looking at enrollment, capacity, staffing needs, building age, condition and per-student costs, per district documents. The committee also examined how close each campus was to optimal capacity; what the five-year capacity would be; and how close each was to ideal staffing levels and operating cost.
The findings presented at the October meeting are not a decision, but rather a preliminary group of campuses that will be further reviewed by the board and district leaders. Any decisions will likely be made in December and won’t take effect until the 2025-26 school year.
Schools identified for potential closure and/or boundary adjustments:
- B.B. Owen Elementary
- Creekside Elementary
- Ethridge Elementary
- Garden Ridge Elementary
- Heritage Elementary
- Highland Village Elementary
- Polser Elementary
- DeLay Middle School
- Downing Middle School
- Lakeview Middle School
- Bluebonnet Elementary
- Camey Elementary
- Degan Elementary
- Hebron Valley Elementary
- Memorial Elementary
- Morningside Elementary
- Old Settlers Elementary
- Rockbrook Elementary
- Creek Valley Middle School
- Shadow Ridge Middle School
The context
In August, the board approved the fiscal year 2024-25 general fund budget, which included a $4.5 million shortfall. Deficit budgets have become a normality for LISD in the last several years as districts statewide are burdened by a funding formula—$6,160 per student, based on attendance—that hasn’t changed since 2019.
LISD has experienced around 22% inflation and would need the basic allotment to increase around $1,300 per student to have the same buying power it did in 2019. In addition, utility costs such as water and electricity have risen 39% and 61% for the district, respectively, per district documents.
“There is no doubt that in 21 years in the central office that this is one of the hardest budgets I have ever been a part of working on,” Rapp said at the August meeting.
Adding to the district's financial issues, LISD will pay around $4.5 million to the Denton Central Appraisal District, which appraises many property values in the school district, after DCAD increased its FY 2024-25 budget, per previous Community Impact reporting.
The action taken
To combat budget challenges the district has removed double-block periods for English language arts classes at all middle schools and trimmed low-enrollment electives. Additionally, in 2023, LISD residents passed a voter-approval tax rate election generating $37.5 million for the district.
Further efforts—such as reductions in central office staff, lowering substitute fill rates and decreasing insurance premiums—reduced the FY 2024-25 budget shortfall from an expected $8 million in May to around $4.5 million by the time it was adopted, according to district documents. District officials also plan to cover the remaining shortfall by dipping into LISD's fund balance, a district’s savings account. By the end of FY 2024-25, LISD’s fund balance will drop from $132 million to $128.1 million—just under the $129.6 million required by the state, which could lead to lower credit ratings—per district documents.
What else?
District officials drafted a compensation plan in May that would provide a 1% of the midpoint raise for all staff and/or a one-time $500 payment. However, even with the reductions, LISD cannot afford the $3 million needed for the one-time payment or the $4 million to approve staff raises at this time, Rapp said.
The district will revisit the compensation plan after reviewing its fiscal bearings in late fall.
Going forward
The LISD board is going to take time to go over the committee's findings carefully, Rapp said. Once officials identify campuses for further consideration, families at those campuses will have a chance to ask questions, express concerns and share feedback in person.
Families affected by these decisions will get more information directly about these upcoming meetings. The board will provide further direction in late October before district officials hold listening tours in November, Rapp said. A final decision will be made in December.
“Throughout this process, our focus remains on providing the best possible education for our students," Rapp said. "We’re making these decisions carefully to balance our district’s financial health with the needs of our families."
