Enrollment decline
Projections indicate Coppell ISD total enrollment could dip by 1,970 students by the 2034-35 school year.
The decline is due to limited future development and housing options for families with children and an over 300-student disparity between the 2024-25 graduating class and the 2024-25 kindergarten class, said Zonda Education demographer, Rocky Gardiner at a Dec. 9 meeting. The district has about 1,036 seniors and 711 kindergarten students.
CISD enrollment for the 2024-25 school year was 13,209 and could fall to 13,049 by next year, Gardiner said. In recent years, demographers have seen a shift toward homeschooling and charter and private schools that are also contributing to enrollment decline, he added.
Using the state funding formula at $6,160 per student, the projected 1,970-student decline within the next decade would result in a funding loss of over $12 million. This could put further financial strain on the district, which already faces inflation and deficit budgets that led to a school closure.
While Texas overall is seeing an influx of people moving to the state, Coppell is largely built out and reaching the limit of new developments. The higher average home price also means many times people settling in Coppell as a final destination rather than selling their homes once their students matriculate, Gardiner said. This limits housing turnover and the number of new families that could move to the district which exacerbates the enrollment decline.
Budget and tax rate election
Coppell ISD officials adjusted the fiscal year 2024-25 budget shortfall from $7.5 million to $8.7 million following the failure to pass the voter-approval tax rate election, VATRE, in early November.
The VATRE would have generated $2.4 million in revenue for the district had it passed. This loss of anticipated revenue increased the budget deficit to $9.9 million, but officials are operating with a lower shortfall with the expectation of expense savings or additional revenue streams, Chief Financial Officer Diana Sircar said at the Nov. 18 board meeting.
With the failure of the VATRE, the fiscal year 2024-25 maintenance and operations tax rate is $0.7552, a decrease from the FY 2023-24 total and M&O rates. However, residents could still see higher tax bills this year due to around 11% increase in average single-home property values, according to district documents. The average single-family residence’s taxable value within district boundaries rose from $459,210 in FY 2023-24 to $513,603 in FY 2024-25.
Current projections, based on continued stagnant state funding, indicate that CISD will see deficit budgets surge to $18 million by FY 2027-28. These figures also include savings from the recently closed Pinkerton Elementary and consolidated school programs, Sircar said.
School closure
The Coppell ISD school board voted 4-3 to close Pinkerton Elementary, the oldest school in the district. The change will take effect for the 2025-26 school year.
The decision, which is expected to save around $2.1 million, comes after weeks of board discussions on and resident pleading against possible school closures and program consolidations as measures to combat enrollment decline and budget shortfalls. Originally, the plan included consolidating Pinkerton’s International Baccalaureate program and the district's dual-language immersion, or DLI, program into other schools. However, the board voted to explore alternative options for these programs.
With the consolidation of Pinkerton Elementary, students will attend Wilson and Austin elementary schools. The district will adjust Denton Creek Elementary attendance zones to Town Center, Cottonwood Creek and Lakeside elementary schools based on enrollment, according to district documents.
Buildings considered for consolidation were rated on capacity, age and condition; cost to run and maintain; and proximity to neighborhoods. Based on a facilities evaluation tool created in June, Pinkerton scored the lowest of all facilities in the district in the age and condition category. Results of the evaluation can be found on the rubric here.
Program consolidation
On Oct. 23, Coppell ISD trustees approved moving the elementary International Baccalaureate program from Pinkerton Elementary to Wilson Elementary and consolidating Wilson’s Dual Language Immersion program to Denton Creek Elementary in a 5-2 vote.
The action comes on the heels of the board’s decision to consolidate Pinkerton Elementary on Sept. 30. The effects of the consolidations will take effect in the 2025-26 school year, according to district documents. Community members spoke in opposition of the DLI program consolidation during the open forum.
Wilson’s DLI program will move to Denton Creek elementary, and then the district plans to adjust Denton Creek attendance zones to Town Center, Cottonwood Creek and Lakeside elementary schools based on enrollment, according to district documents. As a result of the changes, the district could adjust Austin Elementary attendance zones to Town Center and Lakeside.
Neighborhoods being rezoned from Pinkerton to Wilson and from Austin to Town Center would also be rezoned from Coppell Middle School East to Coppell Middle School North.
Staff raises
Coppell ISD staff received raises in September after the school board approved the compensation plan in summer.
In an effort to keep pace with surrounding districts' pay and combat cost of living increases, the CISD board approved a 3% midpoint salary increase for all staff at a June 24 meeting. In addition, the starting pay for beginning teachers in the 2024-25 school year increased from $61,150 to $62,700.
The increase amounts to a $2,050 increase for all continuing teachers, nurses and librarians on an annual 187-day contract, per district documents. Librarians on a 197-day contract will receive a prorated increase, according to district documents.
The district continues to face budgetary challenges, including educators leaving the workforce, slowing enrollment growth, stagnant state funding and other financial issues. Officials said they hope that a competitive compensation plan will help the district to recruit and retain high-quality educators and employees.
