GCISD presentation recommends consolidating Dove and Bransford to address budget shortfall; parents, teachers urge pause

Grapevine-Colleyville ISD officials on Dec. 2 presented a plan developed by the district's Educational Master Planning Committee (EMPC) that recommends consolidating elementary campuses, including Dove and Bransford, as part of a multi-pronged effort to close a projected budget gap driven by declining enrollment and limited state funding.

Nicole Lyons, the district's executive director of communications, told the board the "GCISD forward" plan was built around four core factors: declining enrollment, underused facilities, minimal state funding increases and a projected budget deficit. "This plan was developed to address the long-term financial challenges that both GCISD and districts across the state are facing," Lyons said during the presentation.

CFO David Johnson outlined the fiscal case. He said enrollment decreases since 2019 correspond to a roughly $10.5 million reduction in revenue and noted recent legislative increases primarily targeted teacher-retention allotments. Even after job cuts and other savings, Johnson warned the district's fund balance could fall substantially in coming years. "We take fund balance from about $58,000,000 down to this year of about $39,000,000," he said, noting that closing two campuses would not completely eliminate projected deficits.

The EMPC combined a scoring rubric and a feasibility analysis to weigh consolidation scenarios, administrators said. Paula Barbaro, chief operations officer, said the rubric prioritized minimizing student displacement and ensuring receiving campuses could accommodate incoming students; in the Dove scenario, she said no additional bus routes were needed.

"It was natural that those areas with the most decline would be looked at," Barbaro said, describing how the committee evaluated utilization and facility factors. Kaylee McMullen, executive…