‘No path forward’ for Keller ISD split From the cover
The timeline
April 2024
January 2025
February 2025
March 2025
Heritage HOA joins a lawsuit against Keller ISD March 3, claiming the board of trustees violated the Texas Open Meetings Act by discussing splitting the district in a private meeting. TEA issues a letter March 11 addressing “the concern reported about governance of the district should be reviewed.” State Representative David Lowe, R-North Richland Hills, introduces House Bill 4156 on March 10, which would require school district splits to be approved through an election. District officials call off further split discussions March 14.
Students at several KISD middle and high schools organize walkouts in protest of the split. One local homeowner’s association, Heritage HOA, hires law firm Kelly Hart & Hallman to help fight the potential split. The board unanimously accepts Johnson’s resignation Feb. 20. She will stay on as superintendent emeritus through the end of 2025 and receive more than $425,000 in compensation.
Keller officials project a $27.43 million shortfall for fiscal year 2024-25, prompting discussions about potential solutions.
The board of trustees officially proposes the split to resolve the district’s financial struggles. The proposal is met with backlash from many district parents, students and staff who cite potential impacts on KISD schools and resources. Johnson offers her resignation at the Jan. 16 board meeting saying the split isn’t “right for kids.” The board names Cory Wilson, who was the district’s assistant superintendent of education services, as interim superintendent Jan. 30. Johnson remains an “active employee.”
SOURCES: KELLER ISD, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, LEGISCAN, HERITAGE HOA/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
The impact
Keller ISD fund balance history
Amount needed to be at TEA recommendation Fund balance
added they also may not be able to qualify for as much debt funding as a larger district. He said to think about the split like a mortgage: A married couple who qualifies for a $400,000 house together may only be able to qualify for a $200,000 mortgage separately if they got divorced. In terms of property values, Crouch sees short- term pains if KISD resumes talks of a split. “[Property values] may change, whether the split happens or not,” Crouch said. “The shorter the window [of uncertainty], the sooner the real estate market will heal.”
• Family owned & Operated • Flower Mound residents since 2005 • Residential, Commercial, Agriculture Fences • Craftsmanship - Reliability Integrity Discussions of a split prompted officials to assess its impact on property taxes and values. The district’s Reshaping Information webpage states splitting the district would give each district more local control and financial flexibility. Rather than functioning as one large district with a uniform funding approach, each district could make independent decisions on spending, staffing and strategies tailored to its student demographics. However, local Realtor Chandler Crouch said smaller school districts may not get as good a rate when it comes time to issue or refinance debt. He
$79.3M
2018-19
$72.3M
$83.4M $83.4M
2019-20
$87.8M
2020-21
$82M
$87.3M
2021-22
$69.6M
$84.3M
2022-23
$47.1M
SOURCE: KELLER ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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