The Houston school district's Board of Managers has voted to close 12 schools next school year, despite emotional pushback from parents and public officials.
The Houston Chronicle reports that the vote came two weeks after state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles proposed the closures.
Miles said the district had to close eight campuses and relocate four others because enrollment has fallen short of projections — despite the district's previous public commitment not to close any schools in the fall.
The schools approved for closure or colocation in 2026-27:
* Alcott Elementary School
* Briscoe Elementary School
* Burrus Elementary School
* Franklin Elementary School
* Nat Q. Henderson Elementary School
* Port Houston Elementary School
* Ross Elementary School
* Cage Elementary School will be co-located with Lantrip Elementary School.
* Fleming Middle School and McReynolds Middle School will be co-located with Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men.
* Hobby Elementary School will be co-located with Lawson Middle School. Pre-K and kindergarten students at Hobby will attend Martin Luther King Jr. Early Childhood Center.
* Middle College High School at HCC Gulfton will be closed and absorbed by Liberty High School.
Dozens of people pleaded with the board to delay the vote and gather more community input. They raised concerns about transportation, special education services and other aspects of the plan.
Last year, Miles said the district may have to close up to 10 schools in 2026-27. In November, the district abruptly backed away from that plan, pledging not to close any schools next year.
Then, earlier this month, Miles announced the plan for 12 campuses to be closed or co-located, saying the issue "must be considered" because the district had lost 30,000 students in the past decade.
District Chief of Staff Monica Zdrojewski said the district narrowed the potential closing list from about 50 campuses to 12 based on updated enrollment and facility condition data for 2025-26. Schools were removed from the list if they had major recent capital upgrades, a utilization rate of at least 80% or major feasibility issues.
