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In a school board meeting on Nov. 11, La Joya ISD unveiled plans to close or repurpose a handful of campuses for academic quality, address enrollment shifts and a projected $27.2 million in potential savings, a third major change at the district since a Texas Education Agency (TEA) takeover.

In a press release, the plan is dubbed as “school action recommendations” and states the actions align with LJISD’s Achieving Excellence Together 2030 Strategic Plan by having 90% of students enrolled in A or B rated campuses by 2029.

The plan would close and repurpose select campuses by the 2026-2027 school year.

The school board is set to consider the plan on Jan.21.

The recommendations include the closure of Benavides Elementary, Pena Elementary, Leo Elementary, Ann Richards Middle School and the temporary closure J.D. Salinas Middle School which would reopen in 2027-2028 as a Choice Career Academy Middle School, a campus focused on career and technical education.

The recommendation would mark the third district campus change with the consolidation of all of its early college high school programs and the closure and revamping of several elementary campuses earlier this year in January.

In a presentation during the Nov. 11 meeting, the district listed a significant enrollment decline with about 7,974 students lost in the last decade, a 27% reduction.

The PowerPoint presentation also listed rising costs, an increased demand for in-class programming, facilities and limited legislative financial support as reasons for the recommendations.

The projected $27.2 million in potential savings comes from realigning facilities and staffing. The press release states the savings would be reinvested to strengthen instruction, expand career and technical education, and enhance student programming.

Students at the proposed closed campuses would be reassigned depending on if they are in or out of zone to their new designated zoned campus determined by students’ residential zones.

Students would be able to participate in the transfer process to pursue other campuses.

District transportation would be provided to the designated school but not to a transfer school.

The press release states the district will hold staff and community meetings from November through January to gather feedback and answer questions from families.

“Our Achieving Excellence Together 2030 strategic plan is about preparing students for limitless opportunities,” Superintendent Marcey Sorensen said in the press release. “These recommended school actions allow us to acknowledge and act on the declines in enrollment that the District and community have known about for years, ensure that we are delivering on the promise of educational excellence for all students, align ourselves with fiscally responsible practices, and reinvest in what matters most; strong schools, great teachers, and innovative programs that inspire success.”

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