Residents and parents urge Judson ISD board to pause school-closure plans, warn of student impacts

Dozens of parents, teachers and local elected officials told the Judson Independent School District Board of Trustees on Feb. 14 that proposed school closures risk harming students, disrupting neighborhoods and eroding trust.

Sherry Fleming, a parent, said three of the five elementary campuses on the district’s closure list meet state standards and that two middle schools proposed for consolidation are among the district’s top performers. “Shutting down your successful schools does not solve problems. It creates new ones,” Fleming said, warning that 65 to 70 percent of students at Judson Middle School walk to campus and would face longer commutes and lost access to after-school supports if their school closed.

The superintendent, Dr. Toppin, presented facility-assessment figures and utilization data during the meeting: Kitty Hawk Middle School’s estimated total cost to continue in service was reported as $45,200,000 with 49% utilization, while Judson Middle School’s total estimate was $70,500,000 with 35% utilization. Toppin also identified “priority 1” immediate repair needs priced at roughly $33,600,000 for Kitty Hawk and $54,540,000 for Judson Middle. Administration said a demographer (Zonda) had produced multiple boundary and consolidation scenarios the board could use to refine transportation and staffing impacts.

Public commenters and some trustees pressed the board for more granular data before making closure decisions. Parents and staff asked for counts of walkers versus bus riders, the number of students in specific CTE and agricultural programs, and cost details from prior program moves (for example, the cost to relocate JSTEM). Trustee questions during the meeting elicited a projected annualized savings figure of about $2,500,000 per middle-school consolidation, which administrators said includes roughly $500,000 for non-personnel transportation-related costs but will change once boundaries and staffing plans are finalized.

Speakers from Universal City — including Councilwoman Laurie Putt and Mayor Tom Maxwell — urged transparency and a slower process. A student from Chase STEM Academy, Nestor Cabrera, asked trustees to preserve the academy’s programs, citing recent awards and the program’s role attracting and retaining families. Other commenters, like Scott Willis, urged more aggressive steps to cut the district’s roughly $35,000,000 debt, including closures, arguing communities and students adapt to consolidations.

Board members acknowledged the heavy community response, debated alternatives such as staff reductions or property sales, and repeatedly requested more transportation and program-cost detail. Administration said some decisions must be made quickly to allow master schedules and registrations to be built, while trustees who opposed immediate action urged a phased approach.

No final vote on school consolidations was taken Feb. 14. The board president stated that any decision on middle schools would be made Monday and elementary decisions would be scheduled for future meetings. Board members asked staff to return with walker vs. bus ridership counts, updated utilization and staffing models, and cost histories for prior program moves.

The district faces competing pressures: mounting repair and infrastructure needs at older campuses, demographic shifts and declining enrollment, and concerns that opaque or last-minute changes will drive families to other options. Trustees said they will weigh those realities alongside academic and social-emotional impacts as they prepare for further action next week.