Keller ISD scraps plan to split district, letter confirms
The controversial proposal to divide the district along Highway 377, which was presented in January, was met with ample concern from hundreds of parents in the district.
The proposal also didn't sit right with City of Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker.
"What do you tell the teachers and families, that we don't want those kids?" she said in January. "I've worked in education policy for 10 years. You can tell it makes me mad because all of our kids should have the opportunity to have high-quality education."
Keller ISD is one of the largest districts Tarrant County, serving nearly 35,000 students from Fort Worth, Keller and other surrounding areas.
The plan was created in effort to help mend the district's financial troubles – caused by the lack of state funding, budget decision and other issues, according to the Keller ISD board.
Tensions concerning the plan boiled over into February, leading to students staging a walkout, homeowners speaking out and ultimately, the resignation of the district's superintendent Tracy Johnson.
But Friday afternoon, Keller ISD Board of Trustees President Charles Randklev and Interim Superintendent Dr. Cory Wilson released the following letter to the community, confirming the plan is no longer on the table:
"For the past two years, we have openly discussed our district's financial challenges, caused by insufficient state funding, record inflation, declining enrollment, and prior budget decisions. Like many districts across Texas, we are facing serious financial distress due to these factors and have worked diligently to find solutions that ensure long-term stability while maintaining the quality of education our community expects and deserves.
One option we considered was reshaping the District, as allowed through the Texas Education Code, a concept that could provide more efficient use of resources, as well as more personalized education and stronger community connections. To be clear, this consideration was always driven and motivated with financial stability and student outcomes as our highest priorities. Throughout this process we have sought community feedback, shared information via the District's FAQ page, and provided updates to our stakeholders.
After months of vetting, we've identified a major obstacle: managing our existing bond debt. The District currently carries over $700 million in debt from previous bonds. Under a reshaping scenario, distributing this debt fairly would require tens of millions in additional funding – resources we simply do not have. This added financial burden would not best serve the Keller ISD students and community.
While we recognize the potential benefits of reshaping the District, the challenges listed above make it clear there is no viable path forward. This decision was not made lightly, and the challenges would not have been fully understood without further investigating this process. Despite this decision, we remain committed to identifying financial solutions that best serve Keller ISD students, teachers, and families.
Moving forward, we will continue to look at every single option to strengthen our district's financial health, while striving to make Keller ISD's educational offerings among the best in the state. That is what originally motivated this discussion and what will motivate every discussion in the future. We will continue to evaluate solutions such as campus consolidation, bond planning, and ongoing administrative, non-instructional, and programmatic efficiencies – all with input from the entire community.
Your engagement has been invaluable, and we encourage ongoing collaboration as we navigate these challenges together. Keller ISD is stronger because of its educators, students, and families, and we remain steadfast in our shared commitment to improving educational outcomes for all our students."
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