Education
BY EMILY LINCKE
Spring ISD closing 2 schools in 2026
Managing the impact
Neighboring district Klein ISD is also preparing for any influx of students as a result of the closures, KISD Executive Director of Communications Justin Elbert said via email Dec. 11. “We are proud to provide a safe, caring, high- quality learning experience for our students, and our team is ready to support any new families who choose and are accepted into KISD,” Elbert said. School district data Klein ISD Spring ISD Student enrollment during 2024-25 52,437 33,590 Enrollment change from 2020-25 -0.7% +0.1% Number of campuses during 2025-26 48 43
have been operating at 60% capacity. “Closing Link and Dueitt is truly a heartbreaking decision,” said board President Justine Durant via the news release. “With campuses operating at nearly 60% capacity and reductions in federal funding, we are facing realities that require hard choices. We will not be fiscally responsible if we do not address these challenges now, even when the decisions are difficult.”
Two Spring ISD schools will be closing starting next school year as the district faces falling enrollment and a $13 million fiscal year 2025-26 budget shortfall, according to a Dec. 10 SISD news release. During its Dec. 9 regular board meeting, the SISD board of trustees made the decision to close Link Elementary School and Dueitt Middle School starting in the 2026-27 school year. According to the release, SISD campuses
Closing schools
2 Dueitt Middle School
1 Link
Elementary School
5
45
SOURCES: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, SPRING ISD, KLEIN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
8
Spring
Schools receiving students from closing schools
2
In case you missed it
3 Lewis
5 Rickey C. Bailey Middle School 6 Bammel
Elementary School Elementary School
1960
SISD leaders and the board of trustees have discussed the decision since November 2024 as part of the District Optimization Plan following the failure of the district’s voter-approval tax rate election, as previously reported by Community Impact. “We understand how deeply this affects our students, families, and staff, and we do not take it lightly,” SISD Superintendent Kregg Cuellar said via the news release. “As we move through this transition, our priority is to care for and support one another, especially our students.”
4 Beneke
6
7
Middle School
ELLA BLVD.
4
Schools receiving students from Bailey and Bammel Middle Schools
3
SPEARS RD.
1
7 Edwin M. Wells Middle School 8 Dueitt Creeks Middle School
8
N
SOURCES: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, SPRING ISD, KLEIN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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