Board approves consolidation of Fabian Elementary with Westside for 2026–27, asks staff to study Fabian site reuse
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Trustees voted to consolidate Fabian Elementary into Westside for the 2026–27 school year and directed administration to deliver a transition plan and a feasibility study for repurposing the Fabian site (New Hope expansion, LEO, Early College considered).
The Leander ISD Board of Trustees voted to consolidate Fabian Elementary with Westside Elementary effective for the 2026–27 school year and directed administration to prepare a detailed transition plan and an evaluation of possible uses for the Fabian site.
Trustee Laura Marquez moved the motion to consolidate Fabian with Westside; Trustee Gloria Gonzalez Delucchia seconded it. The motion passed with the board recording the outcome as "5 to motion passes." The motion directs administration to present a comprehensive plan for the current Fabian site that evaluates district needs for an expanded New Hope High School and, where feasible, possible colocation or program alignment with LEO and Early College programs — emphasizing feasibility, enrollment capacity, staffing, transportation and budget implications.
During discussion trustees and staff stressed the need for a careful, high-touch implementation that preserves student supports. Acting Superintendent Chris Clark and COO Jeremy Trimble told the board the district can present multiple scenarios — including portable classrooms as a short-term expansion for New Hope — but cautioned that co-locating several high-school programs on a single elementary footprint would require additional study. "We can explore feasibility," Trimble said, noting site constraints and program complexity.
Trustees who supported the motion cited districtwide enrollment pressures and the potential to strengthen alternative high-school programs by consolidating campus resources. Trustees who opposed the motion urged continued use of mitigation strategies and additional community engagement before making final campus-closure determinations.
The board required administration to return with a transition timeline and cost estimates; trustees asked that the plan prioritize counseling and white-glove staffing transition support for affected personnel and students. The motion also directs administration to keep the board updated during the spring enrollment windows and to bring back final recommendations with community-engagement documentation.