Lubbock ISD swears it’s not closing more schools — at least not until fall 2026 — but it’s already warning everyone to brace for impact. After last year’s emotional rollercoaster of shutting down Hodges, Overton, and O.L. Slaton, the district is trying a new tactic: asking for input before it pulls the plug. You know, transparency — the thing they forgot last time.
The numbers aren’t pretty. Enrollment is down 4,000 students in a decade, half the schools are running under capacity, and there’s a $7.6 million hole in the budget. The solution? Town halls, surveys, and a public “dashboard” so you can watch your neighborhood school circle the drain in real time.
Superintendent Kathy Rollo says it’s not 1925 anymore — kids don’t walk to school, parents drive them across town, and apparently everyone wants to transfer. With half the district’s buildings older than your grandparents and birth rates dropping like TAKS scores in May, LISD says it’s time to “reduce the facility footprint.” Translation: fewer schools, bigger crowds, and hopefully less outrage.
Meanwhile, the district’s “sweet spot” for an elementary school is 700 students — because nothing says “personalized learning” like being one of 699 classmates. But hey, at least they’re cutting costs. The International Baccalaureate program at Coronado is gone — a $150,000 savings from the ten kids who dared to think globally.
So, to recap: fewer students, fewer schools, bigger classes, smaller budget. But don’t worry — there’s a survey. What could possibly go wrong?
