Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD votes to close 4 schools

CARROLLTON, Texas - The Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD Board of Trustees voted to close down four schools in an attempt to improve the district’s financial situation.

Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD School Closures

What Happened:

Trustees approved the consolidation in a 6-1 vote Thursday night.

The campuses set to shutter are: 

• Furneaux Elementary
• Long Middle School
• Central Elementary School
• McCoy Elementary

Some people in the crowd yelled at the board after the vote was announced.

The backstory:

The consolidation plan was presented to the board on month ago following several committee meetings.

District leaders said they are dealing with a budget shortfall, and closing four schools would save the district around $9 million in one year.

Furneaux is set to become a pre-K center. and McCoy will be sold. The two other schools will be used as temporary classroom space when other campuses are being renovated.

What they're saying:

District leaders said the four schools were chosen in part due to financial issues. 

Also, 24 of the 34 schools in the district are only being used at 75% capacity and some of the buildings are outdated.

The closures would eliminate more than 2,300 empty seats across the district.

Related

article

Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD considers closing 4 schools, 2 other districts making cuts

More North Texas public schools may be closing as their districts struggle with tighter budgets and decreasing enrollment. Currently the Carrollton Farmers Branch, Northwest, and Allen school districts are making difficult decisions.

The other side:

Some parents are concerned about where programs will be moved. Their kids will also be separated from friends and teachers they value.

The recommendation also requires new attendance zones, which have not been restructured in more than 20 years.