“This is a hard decision. I understand the emotion that these parents have,” CFBISD School Board President Randy Schackmann told WFAA.
CARROLLTON, Texas — Parents and their children held a protest outside the administration building of Carrolton-Farmers Branch ISD Friday afternoon hoping they can convince district leadership to keep their schools open.
Faced with declining enrollment and demographic studies that show families with young children are increasingly choosing boomtown suburbs farther north, the district has proposed closing four schools and consolidating students at other campuses. Central Elementary, McCoy Elementary, Furneaux Elementary and Long Middle School have been targeted for closure.
“As a community we’re coming together and we’re going to advocate for our kids,” said Rosie Ramos who is a parent of a child at Central Elementary.
“We want to show them (administration) how important this home is to these students and to these teachers. So, we are just imploring the district to change their minds,” said Kathryn Wise whose daughter is a fourth-grade student at McCoy Elementary.
CFBISD has about 24,800 students, but 9,800 desks are empty. With the per-student rate supplied by the State of Texas unchanged, the district continues to lose money.
“This is a hard decision. I understand the emotion that these parents have,” CFBISD School Board President Randy Schackmann told WFAA. “But I hope that they will also be gracious enough to understand that our board is looking at a long term solution and a long term process that will make us available for, academic excellence.”
Schackmann says closing the four campuses and consolidating the students at other campuses could save the district $9 million in the first year alone.
“Like several districts throughout the region and state, CFBISD is facing financial, infrastructure and enrollment challenges,” the district says in its Facilities Planning for Future Success webpage. “Long-term planning is key to tackling these issues, which is why the district is undergoing a facilities future planning process for potential school consolidation.”
But parents at Friday’s protest say it’s difficult to put a price tag on emotion and tradition.
“It shouldn’t be the first step to cut McCoy or any of the schools,” said Wise.
“They need to look further down the line, not just the $9 million in savings. But truly what is it going to look like, what is CFBISD going to look like in five, six, seven years? So, that’s the hope.”
These problems, however, are not new. Nearby Lewisville ISD identified the same issues as it voted last December to close five of its elementary schools, citing the reality of the current “lifecycle” of a shrinking district.
As for Carrolton Farmers Branch, the final vote on closing the four campuses and moving students to different schools next academic year is expected at the CFBISD board meeting next Thursday.
