Voters in two school districts in the Texas Panhandle have approved a merger.
The Amarillo Pioneer reports that the Borger and Spring Creek school systems are on track to become one entity later this year after voters from each district approved the proposal. In Borger, 86% of those voting approved; in Spring Creek, 62% approved.
The move to consolidate the districts came after student enrollment in Spring Creek's only school in Skellytown had dropped to about 70--well below the Texas Education Association (TEA) minimum of 90 students to receive state funding. The TEA notified Spring Creek that it owed the state $600,000.
Enrollment in Borger is about 2,500 students. It is about 50 miles northeast of Amarillo.
The Amarillo Globe-News reports that the facilities and equipment of the Spring Creek district will become the property and be maintained by the Borger district. Operations at the school will continue until the end of the school year.
Borger Superintendent Chance Welch said the state will provide $500,000 to support the consolidation. Welch said the Spring Creek attendance zone has about $42 million in property values.
Qualified staff from Spring Creek will be considered for jobs in Borger, Welch said. There are no plans to use the Spring Creek school , but this could change with further evaluation.
The consolidation is expected to be effective on July 1.
