The Plainview Independent School District Board of Trustees on May 8 approved a plan to reconfigure its elementary schools that will convert South Elementary into the Plainview Early Learning Center and concentrate second through fourth grades at Central and North elementary campuses. The motion "for the approval of the reconfiguration of schools as presented this evening" carried on a voice/hand vote, 7–0.

District administrators said the change is a response to a long-term enrollment decline in kindergarten through fourth grade. "Where we are today, we're at a 425 for the exact same grades, K through 4," Dr. Sanchez said, summarizing historical enrollment trends that fell from about 2,686 K–4 students in 2013 to 697 in 2023 and to 425 in 2025. The plan calls for an early learning center on the South campus to house pre‑K and a paid three‑year‑old program open to district employees and the public, and for Central and North to serve as focused upper‑elementary campuses for grades 2–4.

Why it matters: administrators told trustees the reconfiguration is intended to concentrate expertise and resources for early literacy and numeracy, reduce the developmental span on each campus, and create a facility that can offer extended childcare hours for working parents. "What a kindergartner needs and what a third grader needs is very different," Central Elementary principal Miss Williams said. "With fewer grade levels, it gives us more flexibility in that schedule." Miss Wallace, principal at the other affected campus, described the move as an opportunity to align instruction and interventions so students "are actually reading to learn" by second grade.

Key features of the proposal include:
- South Elementary renamed Plainview Early Learning Center; district staff recommended the tagline "setting the foundation in education."
- South would host full‑day pre‑K and a phased three‑year‑old paid program with extended hours proposed through about 5:30 p.m. to serve working families.
- Central and North would each house grades 2–4, enabling more concentrated intervention and STAR (state assessment) preparation.
- Special education, dual language and inclusion services would be centralized at the early learning center for preschoolers and maintained for older grades at Central and North.

Administrators discussed logistics: South's building has the largest footprint and a stated capacity near 800; administrators estimated the early learning center target enrollment between roughly 500 and 550 if pre‑K and three‑year‑old seats fill. Central and North were projected to have about 400 students each in grades 2–4 under the plan. District staff said roughly four teachers per grade level at South would be reallocated to North or Central in coordination with principals; principals were already working through staffing and retire/rehire considerations.

On operations, the district proposed staggered staff schedules to avoid overtime while extending childcare coverage; staff would be asked to ensure three‑year‑olds are potty trained because the program would not include diapering. Administrators said the district would seek to open any unused pre‑K seats to nonqualifying families where staffing and funding allowed, with the program set as a break‑even charge rather than a revenue source. District leaders also highlighted an ongoing reliance on federal Title III training funds and a state early education allotment that support dual‑language coaching and early education programming; trustees were warned that federal funding changes could affect some training support.

Trustee discussion and vote: trustees asked about behavior supports, cafeteria logistics for very young children, security staffing if South enrolls more students, transport and staggered start times, and whether classroom models (departmentalized vs. self‑contained) would change at the 2–4 campuses. Dr. Sanchez said the district will use data to decide departmentalization and will present schedules after staffing and assessment data are finalized. On a motion by Miss Salazar and a second by Miss Ray, the board voted to approve the configuration and boundary maps as presented; the motion "carries 7" was recorded following a show‑of‑hands vote.

Next steps and outlook: administrators said principals and human resources staff will proceed immediately with staff reassignments and logistical planning if the board's approval stands. The district plans a transfer window and registration process to place students by home campus first, then consider transfer applications. Dr. Sanchez said the reconfiguration aims to improve early literacy and long‑term campus viability while preserving dual‑language and special education offerings.