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Dive Brief:
- Citing declining enrollment and aging infrastructure, Houston Independent School District officials have proposed closing 12 schools beginning in the 2026-27 school year.
- University of Houston research released in January pointed to an “accelerated” enrollment decline for the district following its 2023 takeover by the state. The data shows over 13,000 students left the Texas district between the 2022-23 and 2024-25 school years, dropping enrollment from 189,901 students to 176,693.
- The Houston ISD Board of Managers is to vote on the school closures on Feb. 26, according to a district announcement on Feb. 12. The proposed closures are part of a broader district initiative called “Accelerate Houston” that includes launching an advanced math pathway for middle school students, offering a virtual school option for high schoolers, and expanding career and technical education programs.
Dive Insight:
Houston is among the latest in a string of Texas districts making difficult school closure decisions in recent months amid enrollment declines and multimillion dollar budget deficits.
For instance, Austin Independent School District’s board approved 10 school closures in November, Corpus Christi Independent School District cleared the closure of seven schools in January, and Judson Independent School District earlier this month approved the shuttering of four schools.
Houston ISD’s announcement pointed to other districts in the Houston area “confronting similar realities and taking similar action,” including Aldine ISD, Fort Bend ISD and Spring ISD.
Dedicating resources to underutilized facilities and aging infrastructure “is not a viable long-term strategy in a district serving fewer students,” the Houston district said.
“These decisions are never easy. However, they are guided by the clear principle that students deserve a well-rounded educational experience in vibrant learning environments,” said Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles in a Feb. 12 statement. “Closure allows the District to focus investments where they will have the greatest impact — on instruction, student services, and future-ready opportunities.”
As school buildings run under capacity and need more maintenance and repairs, other districts say they are struggling to justify upkeep costs when closures can be a solution.
Those concerns led another large urban school system, The School District of Philadelphia, to propose closing 20 of its schools to address underenrollment and overenrollment at many of the district’s “aging and unequal” facilities. That plan will be presented before the school board on Feb. 26 as the district continues to hold community meetings about its proposal.
Houston ISD’s closure plan follows sweeping districtwide layoffs of 160 uncertified teachers and 54 staff members last fall as part of “staff leveling” efforts “to align teachers with student enrollment.”
The University of Houston study, meanwhile, also found that students left Houston ISD for nearby districts and charter schools, or left Texas public school systems altogether.
The enrollment shift comes as Texas joins a growing school choice movement — opening applications for its $1 billion voucher program earlier this month.
The program, which starts in the 2026-27 school year, will provide up to $10,474 annually for each eligible student attending an approved private school. Students with disabilities can receive up to $30,000, while homeschooled students can get up to $2,000 per year.
