Midway ISD board votes unanimously to close Spiegelville Elementary and rezone its students
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Summary
At a special meeting, the Midway Independent School District board approved closing Spiegelville Elementary at the end of the 2025–26 school year and approved new attendance zones sending students to South Bosque and Woodway, citing declining enrollment, building maintenance needs and budget shortfalls.
The Midway Independent School District board voted unanimously on a motion to close Spiegelville Elementary School and adopt proposed attendance zones that reassign the campus' students to South Bosque and Woodway elementary schools.
Board chair (speaker 1) opened the special-called meeting and framed the decision as difficult but necessary, saying the board would make the choice based on facts affecting both Spiegelville families and the whole district. "This is not always easy, and tonight is probably one of the hardest decisions this board has ever had to make," the chair said.
Doctor Allen (speaker 3), who presented updated enrollment and facilities data, told trustees that birth-rate and enrollment trends across McLennan County, Texas and nationally show fewer students entering the district and that the district is "losing kids faster than we're replacing" them. Allen highlighted that the oldest part of the Spiegelville building is roughly 72 years old and that a facilities study identified about $4,000,000 in needed upgrades that are not covered by the current bond.
Allen presented scenario-based attendance zones and transportation plans intended to keep neighborhoods intact and limit route times. He described projected bus pickup windows for reassigned students and stressed that the routing examples were scenarios that assume full bus ridership and would be refined in the summer before school starts. Allen also said the district projects roughly $1,200,000 in recurring annual savings from the closure (staff and building costs), but that the district's current deficit — which he stated is about $2,800,000 — means the savings would not immediately eliminate the shortfall.
Trustees asked for details about staff relocation, after-school programs and services for special education and gifted students; Allen described a staff-preference matching process and said after-school providers enroll based on demand and that the district typically staffs to enrollment. He also said some bond-funded work at South Bosque would increase capacity there by reconfiguring existing space.
After discussion, Mr. Witt (speaker 5) moved to close Spiegelville Elementary and approve the rezoning as presented; Mr. Tellis (speaker 7) seconded. Chair called the vote and announced, "The motion passes... It was a unanimous vote." The board adjourned at 6:49 p.m.
The decision takes effect for the 2026–27 school year; administration said it will begin transition planning immediately, including meetings with the Spiegelville community, transportation adjustments and events to honor the campus' legacy. The board indicated it will consider the facility's future at a later date.