New Schools In New Areas Leave Behind Old Vacant Schools

By ABC-7 Reporter Rachel Abell

Out with the old, in with the new. As El Paso’s population grows, our school districts have to grow along with it.

That means brand new schools around the Sun City. But are the old campuses going to waste?

In the 2007 election, El Pasoans voted in favor of a 230 million dollar El Paso Independent School District bond issue. That meant eight new schools across the growing district.

“A lot of our buildings are very old…some are 110 years old. and when you start renovating old buildings, it costs a lot of money to maintain and upkeep,” said district spokeswoman, Berenice Zubia.

But she’s quick to add that the older, vacant schools aren’t really vacant at all.

For example, students don’t attend classes anymore at the old Wainwright Elementary school in Northeast El Paso, they haven’t since 2006…but the district still uses the building for a Science Support Facility and storage.

It’s a similar story here at the old Magoffin Middle School….just a few blocks away.

There may not be any more students running through the halls, but the old building does house Special Education Offices for the district.

We asked Zubia if it was cheaper to build new buildings rather than maintain the old ones, and her response was yes.

“Over the last couple of years, year after year, if you have to keep repairing a school, that’s why sometimes it’s better to build a new campus,” she said.

Especially if those schools are going to be around for decades more.

District officials said they know initially it’s a bigger cost…but they have their sights on the future.

“we are looking in the long term, because we are going to continue educating children for many, many years to come,” Zubia said.

We checked with YISD officials as well and they said they technically have no vacant schools right now.

Though because of a mold problem at Pebble Hills Elementary, students were moved to Parkland Elementary