Lake Worth ISD board votes to close a school campus due to insufficient state funding
The Lake Worth ISD Board of Trustees voted to approve the district's recommendation to close Effie Morris Early Learning Academy in the new school year.
This decision came during the Feb. 17 board meeting, which fell on a school holiday.
Currently, the Effie campus has 362 pre-K and kindergarten students enrolled. With the closure of Effie, Lake Worth ISD said those students will move to their respective neighborhood campuses in the 2025-2026 school year.
This comes amidst a $3.5 million deficit within the district. The decision to close the Effie campus will save approximately $700,000, according to the district.
The board also voted to remove a staff daycare program called the Tadpole Learning Center. This resource has been within the ISD for decades to provide cheaper childcare for staff with children not yet of school age. The district says cutting the program will save $270,000 a year.
Students at Howry STEAM Academy will relocate to the current Effie campus in the new school year.
Superintendent Dr. Rose Mary Neshyba said money is not coming in from the state.
"Despite rising costs and inflation, the state has not increased the basic student allotment since 2019," she wrote in an email to parents and staff following the vote. "After careful evaluation of various cost-saving measures, we have determined that transitioning our pre-K and kindergarten programs back to their home campus is a solution that will assist in alleviating the financial burden on our district while still protecting the classroom experience and our amazing staff."
Representatives with Lake Worth ISD said no teacher positions will be eliminated, though 12 administrative positions will be cut.
Lake Worth ISD is not the first district in North Texas to close campuses.
The Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD Board of Trustees most recently voted to close four campuses: Furneax Elementary, McCoy Elementary, Central Elementary, and Long Middle School. Those changes take effect in the 2025-2026 school year.
Fort Worth ISD is also considering closures.
Northwest ISD recently cut over 100 positions and some programs amidst a lack of state funding.
