Southlake Carroll ISD trustees on Monday heard a proposal that would close Durham Intermediate, the district’s fifth and sixth-grade campus, in the 2027–28 school year and shift those students to elementary and middle school sites. A task force of teachers, parents and administrators projected about $2.5 million in savings from consolidating facilities, framing the plan as a way to respond to falling enrollment and a growing number of empty classrooms across the district.
The recommendation was presented during the district’s regular board meeting, according to the district’s posted schedule. According to Carroll ISD, the board publishes meeting agendas and materials online for the public to review.
Discussions about possible closures are not entirely new inside Carroll ISD. A Budget Reduction Action Committee formed last year to study budget cuts and facility options, and earlier reporting by Community Impact detailed the committee’s early work and the worries it triggered among parents.
What the proposal would do
Under the task force recommendation, elementary schools would serve kindergarten through fifth grade, and the district’s two middle schools would expand to include sixth grade. Durham Intermediate would be the campus marked for possible closure, while Eubanks Intermediate would remain open. District leaders described the shift as an effort to better match buildings, staffing and academic programs with changing enrollment. As reported by The Dallas Morning News, the plan came from a task force that included teachers, parents, administrators and principals.
Why district leaders say change is needed
Jeff Brady, Carroll ISD’s executive director of communications, told The Dallas Morning News, “This enrollment trend is not changing. It’s very definite and it’s consistent.” District officials report that enrollment has dropped from about 8,500 students in 2022–23 to under 8,000 this school year, a slide they estimate has cut annual revenue by roughly $8 million since 2019 and left around 100 classrooms sitting idle. Administrators say the proposed consolidation would trim operating costs by about $2.5 million and would be rolled out gradually to limit disruption.
How this fits in North Texas
Carroll’s right-sizing proposal arrives as other North Texas districts are also closing or consolidating schools to balance their books. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD voted this month to close two elementary campuses amid budget shortfalls, and Grand Prairie ISD has floated plans to close multiple schools while it faces a multimillion-dollar deficit, according to reporting by NBC 5 Dallas-Fort-Worth and NBC 5.
Next steps and how to weigh in
District leaders told trustees that the proposed timeline gives families and staff a long runway to plan and adjust, and the board could take formal action as early as January. According to Carroll ISD, the district calendar lists regular and special meetings where agendas are posted and public comment is accepted ahead of board votes.
Families and employees looking for details are encouraged to monitor board materials and district announcements as the task force recommendations move through the review process. If trustees vote to move forward, district officials say they will phase in any changes and share transition plans aimed at minimizing disruption for students and programs.
