EPISD votes to close 8 elementary schools amid financial crisis
Update: A spokesperson from the El Paso Independent School District released a statement regarding the board decision Wednesday Morning.
The news release calls Destination District Redesign "a transformative initiative to improve educational outcomes and secure the district's financial future."
Adding that the eight schools that will close over the next two years are "underutilized," and that the project would "address a projected $32.2 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2025–2026 while preserving and enhancing academic excellence."
"Ultimately, this is about providing sustainable, high-quality education by addressing the deficit, preserving essential programs, and creating enriched, equitable learning environments for all students,” Superintendent Diana Sayavedra said in the news release.
The district statement added that the approved Destination District Redesign "reflects months of robust community engagement and data analysis. Adjustments were made based on stakeholder input, including the removal of Park and Hillside Elementary from the closure list and the deferral of Travis and Stanton closures to the 2026–2027 school year."
EL PASO, TX (KVIA) — The El Paso Independent School District Board of Trustees voted 4-3 to approve the closure of eight elementary schools during a five-and-a-half-hour meeting Tuesday night.
Trustees Isabel Hernandez and Daniel Call, Board Vice President Valerie Ganelon Beals and Board President Israel Irrobali supported the closures. Trustees Leah Hanany, Alex Cuellar, and Jack Loveridge opposed the decision.
During the meeting, more than 60 parents, students, and community members voiced their opposition to the closures. The main concerns were neighborhood impacts, longer commutes for students, and the loss of high-performing schools.
“You have consistently ignored these kids year after year, and now, instead of righting the wrongs, you want to shut down their school and make them walk an hour to their new school,” said one community member during public comment. “That is discrimination, plain and simple.”
The closures are part of the district's Destination District Redesign plan, addressing a projected $32.2 million budget deficit for the 2025–26 fiscal year. EPISD says the closures will reduce the deficit by nearly 66%. They say by consolidating, the district will be able to redirect resources to improve classroom instruction and academic programs.
The first phase of closures will take effect in the upcoming, 2025–26 school year, closing Carlos Rivera, Lamar, Newman, Putnam, Rusk, and Zavala Elementary Schools. Travis and Stanton Elementary Schools will follow in the 2026–27 school year.
