El Paso ISD asking parents, taxpayers to take survey on possible school consolidation
The El Paso Independent School District is asking parents and taxpayers to learn more about the findings of the Jacob’s Engineering Inc. facilities report, and then take a survey with their feedback. The survey can be found here.
EPISD thedistrict’s facility report projects 5,000 students will be lost in five years. Each student brings in about $6,000 in state and federal money,meaning EPISD will have $30 million less in their budget.
The district will also have to spend an estimated $434 million to repair and rebuild aging facilities.
Monday night the report’s researchers presented the options at Bowie High’s gym.
The options include:
– Closing 14 elementary schools and one middle school
(Elementary: Roberts, Putnum, Vilas, Lamar, Beall, Alta Vista, Zavala, Bonham, Cielo Vista, Burnet, Travis, Schuster, Dowell,and Fanin. Middle: Charles)
– Consolidating them with nearby schools.
– Combining Andress and Irvin, and building an additional new high school on either site, to house the both schools
– Rebuilding schools as K-8
(Milam Middle, Bassett Middle, Terrace Hills Middle, Henderson Middle, and Coldwell Elementary)
– Reconstructing older schools in need of repair
(Morehead Middle, El Paso High, Coronado High, Jefferson High, Burges High, Bliss Elementary)
– Changing enrollment boundaries
“This is our way of planning for the future,” said EPISD Spokesperson Melissa Martinez. “We don’t want anyone to be surprised, that we’re losing funding and enrollment. This is our way of planning for the future and the best ways to use our resources.”
At a community meeting in early October, EPISD told parents about the facilities report and asked them where they’d like to see more resources. The district said the majority of parents wanted to see more rich, diverse programs, technology and an equitable distribution of both at area schools.
“If you’re not having to maintain so many buildings, that’s extra money you’re having to put into your school and your teachers,” Martinez said. “If we want to be able to give teachers raises, if we want to be able to add more money into fine arts, we know these are the things parents tell us are more important to them.”
