Public school districts across Texas are feeling the impact of over 100,000 students leaving public schools in 2022-2023 for private, charter, and homeschooling. Fewer students means less revenue.
Confidence in the public school system has eroded dramatically in recent years. Many families opposed school closures and forced masking in classes and hallways during COVID-19.
Ironically, COVID-19 also afforded parents an opportunity to see what curriculum their children were being taught, including an emphasis on LGBTQ and other justice causes that many believed came at the expense of basic academics.
Many pornographic books with LGBTQ themes and explicit content were also exposed in this time period. With the flight from public schools ongoing, DFW area residents can expect even more school closures like this one in Coppell.
KRLD has the story:
The Coppell school board voted to close the district’s oldest elementary school earlier this week. Trustees voted 4-3 to close Pinkerton Elementary after a meeting lasting almost five hours.
Fifty-eight parents, students and former students signed up to speak against closing the school.
“Closing the school is not just going to be about budget cuts. It’ll be about erasing a legacy. This school has stood as a beacon of learning for decades,” a former student said.
“The impact of any school closure and consolidation will emanate throughout our children and stay with them for the rest of their lives,” a parent said.
Superintendent Brad Hunt said the district needed to take action to avoid staff cuts, increased class sizes and no raises for teachers.
“These are very tough decisions, hard decisions,” Superintendent Brad Hunt said. “But as you can see, we’re at a point where we’ve got to be able to move forward, and now is the time to take action.”
Coppell ISD is facing a $6.8 million budget shortfall for the current year. The district hopes closing Pinkerton after this school year will save $2.1 million.
During the recent meeting, the district laid out enrollment projections. Coppell ISD expects to lose 550 elementary students over the next three years. The district says that drop in enrollment could lead to $4.5 million less state funding in 2028.