District leaders discussed several grade level options during a Nov. 17 school board meeting. This was only a discussion item, and no action was taken by the board.
The details
CISD administration and staff members have created possible scenarios for the campus grade levels, Senior Chief Jason Johnston said in the board meeting.
- Scenario 1 involves keeping the Early Childhood School open while elementary schools remain grades K-5. Willard Middle School would open with sixth to eighth grade students, and Moore Middle School would remain a sixth through eighth grade campus.
- Scenario 2 would also keep the Early Childhood School open. The district’s elementary campuses would serve K-4 students. Students in fifth and sixth grade would attend Willard Middle, and grades 7-8 would remain at Moore Middle.
- In Scenario 3, the Early Childhood School would move its students to elementary campuses based on zoning with the early education programs integrated into the existing campuses, according to the presentation. Elementary campuses would serve pre-K through fourth grade. Willard Middle would serve grades 5-6, and Moore Middle would serve grades 7-8.
- Scenario 4 would keep the Early Childhood School open. Elementary campuses would serve K-4 students, while fifth graders would move to their zoned middle schools. Willard and Moore middle would serve fifth through eighth grade students.
- In Scenario 5, the Early Childhood School would move its students to elementary campuses. Elementary would serve pre-K-4, while the middle schools would serve grades 5-8.
O’Dell Elementary is already at capacity this school year, Johnston said. Lykins, Martin, Bothwell and Vasquez elementary are all projected to surpass functional capacity levels by next school year, according to enrollment projections.
Early childhood students could benefit from programming offered at the elementary campuses, Chief Academic Officer Kyla Prusak said in the meeting. Students would have access to music, art and physical education programs that the ECS is unable to provide, she said.
A school just for fifth and sixth graders is not uncommon, officials said, and CISD previously operated a sixth grade center.
Next steps
CISD officials are set to hold several community meetings before establishing a grade level plan. The timeline for the decision includes:
- Nov. 20: community presentation
- Dec. 4: community presentation
- Dec. 15: school board update with community feedback
- Dec. 15 or Jan. 26, 2026: 2026-27 boundaries are presented to the board
- Dec. 15: Willard Middle School principal announced
- Jan. 26 or Feb. 23, 2026: board members will vote on 2026-27 boundaries
- January 2026: staff internal transfer portal could open
- March 2026: employee and student transfer request and approval
