Heights - River Oaks - Montrose Edition | April 2026

BY WESLEY GARDNER & EMILY LINCKE

Black neighborhood. A place of learning, stability and pride. Closing it would not just shutter a school ... it erases a tangible piece of our history.” Deysy Arellano, a Port Houston Elementary parent, expressed concern about the distance some children will need to walk to their new campus. “We walked the route our children will be expected to take for the other campus,” Arellano said. “It took us 30 minutes. Do you expect a child to walk 30 minutes?”

Another viewpoint

One more thing

Before HISD’s board of managers voted to close the 12 schools, parents, students and elected trust- ees urged the district to vote against closing schools or to at least delay the decision. “Burrus is not just a building, it is a living land- mark,” Community member Billy Williams said. “For generations, it has been the heart of our historic

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 sta at the closing schools, who have done well in evaluations, will not lose their positions based on the closures, HISD Chief of Sta Monica Zdrojewski said. Stang decisions will be made by April 17, and employees can pursue a transfer to another campus if they prefer a dierent position. For enrollment loss at large, Isaak Pichon said she believes HISD and other aected districts should use this moment as an opportunity to create a better environment for students.

School distance

The distance from closing schools to relocated campuses varies between less than a mile and three miles.

*THESE SCHOOLS WILL BE COLOCATED AND OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY IN THE NEW CAMPUS

Distance in miles

Walk time in minutes

Drive time in minutes

Closing schools

New schools students will attend

Alcott Elementary Briscoe Elementary Burrus Elementary Franklin Elementary

Mading Elementary Carrillo Elementary Kennedy Elementary Gallegos Elementary Bruce Elementary Pleasantville Elementary Roosevelt Elementary

0.9 1.6 2.0 0.7 2.0 1.3 3.3 1.9 0.5 1.9 2.2

4 7 7 3 6 5

29 38

Henderson Elementary Port Houston Elementary

40 23 66 41 12 42 43 38

Next steps

Feb. 12: HISD leaders announce proposed school closures Feb. 17-25: Meetings are held with family and sta 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 stang 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

Betsy Ross Elementary

Clemente Martinez Elementary

6 4

Cage Elementary* Hobby Elementary* Fleming Middle* McReynolds Middle*

Lantrip Elementary Lawson Middle School

7 7

Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men

2.1

NOTE: THE DRIVE AND WALK TIMES WERE CALCULATED THROUGH THE USE OF GOOGLE MAPS AT 3 P.M. ON A TUESDAY.

SOURCES: HOUSTON ISD, GOOGLE MAPSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

with disabilities. As of March 9, roughly 8,900 HISD students had submitted applications to be included in the pro- gram—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, according to the Texas Comptroller’s Oce. About 156,000 applications have been submitted statewide as of March 6.

Also of note

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 oering $2,000 to homeschooled students, $10,474 for private school tuition and related expenses, and up to $30,000 for students

SOURCE: HOUSTON ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION