Big changes are in the works for Lewisville ISD as enrollment continues to drop.
The district says enrollment peaked in 2015 at almost 54,000 students. This year, that number is under 48,000. In 10 years, the district expects enrollment to drop another 3,000. Using the current state funding formula, that's a projected loss of more than 18 million dollars.
Monday night, parents got a closer look at the proposed fix - closing some schools and redrawing boundaries for others. Lewisville is the latest among several North Texas districts faced with this decision.
Lewisville ISD is calling it the School Retirement and Boundary Adjustment proposal. Simply put – school closures and rezoning students. District leaders said these are the consequences of budget shortfalls and declining enrollment.
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Five Lewisville elementary schools are on the chopping block - each a feeder school into five Lewisville ISD high schools. Those five elementary schools are Garden Ridge, Polser STEM Academy, Highland Village, Owen, and Creekside.
On Monday night there was a decent show of parents and students pleading with the board to consider alternatives.
Texas districts are guaranteed funding for each enrolled student. Superintended Lori Rapp sent a letter to the community that reads in part. She said research partners indicate Lewisville's declining enrollment isn’t just a temporary shift.
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The letter reads in part:
They projected our LISD family will settle at about 45,000 students over the next ten years.
Right now, our schools have room for 62,508 students, which mean many of our classroom seats sit empty each day.
The board is expected to take a vote on the proposal at the next regular meeting on Dec. 9.
