Dive Brief:
- Fort Bend Independent School District’s board of trustees approved a plan on March 9 to close or consolidate seven elementary schools as it tackles an expected budget deficit of $56.4 million — driven by recent enrollment declines — for the 2026-27 school year.
- The Texas school district reported in a Feb. 9 board meeting that its projected budget deficit for the next school year rose from an initial deficit of $26.2 million, because the district ended up having a total of 79,970 students, or 1,801 fewer, enrolled this year than it budgeted for. That enrollment decline amounted to an $18 million loss in revenue, according to the district.
- In total, Fort Bend ISD had 78,169 students enrolled this school year, a slight increase since October 2019 when the district’s enrollment was 77,725. However, the district expects enrollment to keep dipping to 77,732 in the 2026-27 school year.
Dive Insight:
The Houston-area district’s overall enrollment figures are being impacted by lower birthrates and fewer people moving into Texas than expected, the district said at its Feb. 9 board meeting.
The projected enrollment decline next year has also been “informing these decisions that were had about boundaries and consolidations and being efficient with the utilization of our resources,” said Bryan Guinn, Fort Bend ISD’s chief financial officer, in the board meeting. “This decline is anticipated to continue, not just over the next year, but over the next several years.”
Fort Bend ISD is also bracing to potentially lose even more students to Texas’ new $1 billion school voucher program beginning in the 2026-27 school year. The district projects its enrollment could drop as much as 1.5% — or 1,167 students — by the next school year as a result of the state’s vouchers. If that comes to fruition, the district would lose $11.7 million in revenue.
The state’s new voucher program will give up to $10,474 annually to each eligible student attending an approved private school. Students with disabilities can receive up to $30,000, and homeschooled students can get up to $2,000 per year.
Fort Bend ISD’s budget struggles are part of a broader challenging landscape that schools nationwide are grappling with as public school enrollment continues to drop. Multiple Texas districts, in particular, have had to close or consolidate schools in recent months due to similar circumstances, including Austin ISD, Corpus Christi ISD, Houston ISD and Judson ISD.
After Fort Bend ISD’s board approved the seven school closures, Superintendent Marc Smith said in a March 9 statement that the district has been focused on students’ best interests throughout this decision-making process.
“These decisions are never easy because they affect schools and communities that people care deeply about,” Smith said. “By aligning our campuses with current enrollment trends, we can strengthen academic programs, maximize resources, and ensure every student has access to the opportunities they deserve.”
