Previously proposed EPISD campus closures on hold ahead of new school year

The first day of class for the El Paso Independent School District is Monday, August 13.

The elementary school campuses that were proposed to close earlier this summer will remain open, but possible closures are not off the table for the EPISD school board.

Beall, Schuster, Moye, Hawkins, Rivera, Rusk and Alta Vista were on the district’s most recent list of possible school closures.

The vote was postponed in early summer to give the district more time to decide on a long term solution and to inform the community about its plans.

EPISD said it is facing a $7 million deficit, but still managed to approve a budget for the 2018-2019 school year without any campus closures.

The district attributes the deficit to declining student enrollment numbers.

“School closures is always a last option, but we really are at a point where we have more buildings than we need,” said Melissa Martinez, EPISD spokeswoman.

Martinez said EPISD wants to invest funding in programs for students, instead of “operating half empty buildings.”

Bonham, Johnson and Roberts elementary schools will also remain open this school year, but will be consolidated for the 2020-2021 school year.

The decision to consolidate the campuses was previously made by the school board as part of its 2016 bond plan.

Burnett elementary was the only school to close at the end of the 2017-2018 school year. It was also slated to close under the district’s bond plan.

District officials are now looking to the community for suggestions on how the district could save money.

It created a new ‘think tank’ program which will allow parents and staff to submit ideas.

Martinez said the district wants any decision of possible school closures as transparent as possible.

Once the district makes a decision on what campuses could close, EPISD will host more community meetings at the campuses that could possibly be affected.