BY WESLEY GARDNER & EMILY LINCKE
Next steps
One more thing
Also of note
Feb. 12: HISD leaders announce proposed school closures Feb. 17-25: Meetings are held with family and staff at the closing campuses Feb. 26: Board of managers votes to close schools April 8: Applicants part of Phase 1 for HISD’s school of choice program will receive placement information Mid-April: HISD to announce staffing decisions for closing campuses April-June: Legacy committees will implement plans for preserving the closing campuses’ history and traditions Early June: A community event for the closing of schools will be held June 4: Campuses close Prior to Aug. 10: Facility repairs are slated to be complete at campuses receiving students from the closed campuses
Isaak Pichon said education savings accounts could also result in further enrollment loss. The $1 billion program, which Texas lawmakers approved in 2025, is designed to expand educational options by offering $2,000 to homeschooled students, $10,474 for private school tuition and related expenses, and up to $30,000 for students with disabilities. “There certainly is going to be an impact from ESAs, but we’ll have to wait to know more,” Isaak Pichon said. As of March 9, roughly 8,900 HISD students had submitted applications to be included in the program—the most by any district statewide, according to Texas Education Agency data. With funding capped at $1 billion for the 2026-27 school year, between 90,000 and 100,000 students will likely be accepted, accord- ing to the Texas Comptroller’s Office. Approxi- mately 156,000 applications statewide had been submitted as of March 6.
For the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years, shuttles will be available multiple times per morning and afternoon to take students from their former campus to their new campus, HISD leaders said in February. Contracted staff at the closing schools, who have done well in evaluations, will not lose their positions based on the closures, HISD Chief of Staff Monica Zdrojewski said. Staffing decisions will be made by April 17, and employees can pursue a transfer to another campus if they prefer a different position. For enrollment loss at large, Isaak Pichon said she believes HISD and other affected districts should use this moment as an opportunity. “In an era where there are more options for families than ever,” she said. “School systems really need to make sure they’re offering students a safe, rigorous, relevant learning environment that’s going to actually prepare them to lead meaningful lives beyond high school graduation.”
SOURCE: HOUSTON ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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BELLAIRE - MEYERLAND - WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION
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