In early December, Lubbock Independent School District’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved consolidations and closures which would directly affect three of its campuses.
In response to a nearly $15 million deficit in the district’s budget, the decisions were made based on recommendations of LISD’s Future Focus Committee. The committee – comprised of LISD alumni, staff, community members, and high school students – held six meetings, starting in October.
The district has faced criticism from parents, staff, and even committee members about the consolidation process feeling rushed and lacking transparency. Lubbock’s NAACP issued a statement of no-confidence in LISD Superintendent Dr. Kathy Rollo and the school board’s president, due to the initial consolidation proposal mainly impacting campuses in predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods.
The Nov. 21 board meeting saw more than 30 speakers during the citizen comments section, many speaking on behalf of Bean Elementary School and Harwell Elementary. Eventually, those campuses were removed from consideration for "phase one" of the plan.
The final decision for phase one, passed unanimously by the board on Dec. 4, saw Overton Elementary School consolidated into Rush Elementary School, O.L. Slaton Middle School consolidated into Dunbar College Preparatory Academy and Atkins Middle School, and the closure of Hodges Elementary School.
Superintendent Rollo has said that the consolidations will not result in staff layoffs.
After the vote to close Hodges, a survey was sent to the school’s parents and staff about how to change the campus’ attendance zone boundaries.
The options were sending Hodges students to Bayless Elementary School, Bean Elementary, or split between Bayless and Roberts Elementary. Rollo told the trustees on Dec. 12 that the consensus of the survey was to shift the Hodges attendance zones to that of Bean Elementary School.
According to Rollo, Bean may receive additional portable classrooms to accommodate the increased attendance, depending on how many Hodges students opt to transfer to Bayless or Roberts Elementary.
Families are not restricted to their attendance zone and can apply to transfer anywhere there is an open seat. Students of the Hodges Elementary, Overton Elementary, and O.L. Slaton Middle School campuses will be given priority.
The transfer window opens Tuesday, December 17th. It will be open over the winter break and close January 17th. The new attendance boundaries will go into place starting the 2025-2026 school year.
