Fort Bend (Texas) board votes to close 7 elementary schools

The Fort Bend (Texas) school board has voted 4 to 3 to close seven of its elementary schools in response to declining enrollment and ongoing budget pressures.

Chron.com reports that the schools slated for closure at the end of the 2025-26 academic year are Austin Parkway, Dulles, Fleming, Glover, Mission West, Ridgegate and Sugar Mill. At Monday's board meeting, many families raised concerns about longer commute times and disruptions to learning environments. But district leaders said the move is necessary to make more efficient use of campus space and district resources.

Board members debated the proposal for more than an hour before the vote,

In total, 19 schools will be affected by the closures. Some students will transfer to different campuses and others will have to adjust to an influx of new classmates. The changes are part of a boundary planning process to balance enrollment across the district.

According to a report from the Texas Education Agency, 9,784 students transferred out of the district during the 2025-2026 school year; a large number of those now attend charter schools.

Sustained declines in enrollment have left district schools operating at roughly 74% of classroom capacity.

The closures are expected to generate between $6 million and $7 million in annual savings for the district.

For many families, the closures will take away a convenient and safe option to walk their children to school.

The Fort Bend vote comes as other Houston-area districts grapple with similar financial pressures. The Houston board recently approved its own round of school closures.