Students transferred to 25 different charter networks across the Houston area with most transfers concentrated to Harmony Public Schools, International Leadership of Texas and KIPP Public School.
In the 2024-25 school year, PASA estimates 7,050 FBISD students attended charter schools with that number expected to grow to 8,912 by the 2029-30 school year.
As district officials grapple with stabilized growth that differs from the fast growth of the past decade, officials have set their eyes on specialized academic programming to compete for FBISD students.
Where it's happening
The seven elementary school zones with more than 125 transfers were in the northwest portion of the district and correspond to the Dulles, Bush and Kempner high school feeder patterns, per a 2024-25 Population and Survey Analysts report.
Out of the seven elementary school zones with more than 125 transfers during the 2023-24 school year, only Mission West Elementary School ranked a B out of the TEA accountability scores for the 2022-23 school year, while the rest classified C and Ds, Community Impact reported.
Out of the nine elementary zones with more than 100 transfers in the 2023-24 schools, six were in the Willowridge and Marshall high school feeder patterns, which have historically struggled with academic performance even being placed on improvement plans several times since the 2014-15 school year, Community Impact reported.
The details
Per the TEA, for the 2024-25 school year most FBISD students transferred to the charter school campuses that were part of larger networks with tens of thousands of students across Texas, including:
Harmony Public Schools (2,708 FBISD students)
- Started in 2003 in Dallas
- Approximately 41,800 students across 60 campuses statewide
- Kindergarten through 12th grade science, technology, engineering and math curriculum
KIPP Public Schools (1,513 FBISD students)
- Started in 2003 in San Antonio
- Approximately 34,100 students across 56 campuses statewide
- Pre-K through 12th grade college preparatory curriculum
- Started in 2012 in Dallas
- Approximately 22,700 students across 38 campuses statewide
- Kindergarten through 12th grade college preparatory curriculum, mastering numerous languages including English, Spanish and Mandarin
FBISD officials say that the key to competing for students is “to get them in the door younger,” Chief Academic Officer Adam Stephens said at the April 14 board meeting.
In addition to expanding pre-K programs for ages 3-4 to 46 campuses for 2025-26 school year, the district will pilot five new “premier opportunities” at select elementary campuses with low-cost field trips, student-led projects and community partnerships embedded within the current curriculum, Stephens said.
Potenital programs include:
- A language immersion program that promotes learning in both English and a target language
- A gifted and talented academy to meet advanced academic and creative needs
- A laboratory school where experienced teachers are paired with teachers in training
- An international school that uses a globally recognized curriculum
In the long-term officials hope to create specialized campuses across the district, in addition to expanding career and technical education offerings and at James Reese Career and Technical Center, such as cosmetology, cybersecurity and training to earn a drone pilot’s license.
