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Study of 470 Texas schools that closed 1998-2015 found students experienced lasting negative impacts: 4.8% less likely to attend college, 4.7% less likely to complete college, and 1.3% less likely to be employed by age 26
AISD is proposing to move thousands of students from higher performing schools to lower performing schools.
Students displaced to worse-performing schools experience larger drop in test scores (0.06 standard deviation), while students displaced to better-performing schools experience smaller, statistically insignificant drop
Students already attending receiving schools experienced test score decrease of about 0.18 standard deviation right after closure; scores improve but do not fully recover after three years. Philadelphia study found students attending schools that received displaced students experienced significant decline in academic achievement; negative spillover effects persisted for two years.
Austin ISD's closure plan reassigns some students from higher-performing schools into lower-performing ones; schools receiving majority of students from failing schools will get extra resources to help students improve
Gov. Abbott signed $1 billion voucher program into law May 2025; families receive $10,300-$10,900 per year per child for private school expenses. Program launches 2026-27 school year as universal voucher (available to all families regardless of income)
Districts already struggling with enrollment losses like Houston, Alief, and Aldine ISDs could be hit particularly hard and face tough decisions about closing schools, cutting jobs, and eliminating programs. Texas Education Agency predicts private school capacity could increase 10% yearly to accommodate influx from public schools
Board voted 5-2 in November 2023 to close 15 schools and merge others, affecting nearly 5,000 students. By March 2024, 456 students (10%) impacted by closures had confirmed they were leaving the district. By August 2024, more than 1,000 students (21%) affected by closures had not returned for the new school year
13 schools closing before 2026-27 to address nearly $20M budget deficit
Richardson, Irving, Plano, and Fort Worth ISDs closing campuses due to low enrollment and budget shortfalls