Seven Fort Bend ISD elementary schools will sit empty when students return to class Tuesday, Aug. 11. The district has not told families what it plans to do with any of the buildings.
The seven campuses closed after the board voted 4-3 on March 9: Austin Parkway, Dulles, Arizona Fleming, Edgar Glover Jr., Mission West, Ridgegate and Sugar Mill elementaries. Trustees cited declining enrollment and a projected $56.4 million budget deficit. Trustees Afshi Charania, Addie Heyliger, Shirley Rose-Gilliam and Board President Kristin Tassin voted in favor; Trustees Angie Hanan, Adam Schoof and Angie Wierzbicki voted against.
The closures are expected to save $5 million to $7 million a year, less than 1% of the district's budget, according to Fox 26.
Edgar Glover Jr. Elementary, at 1510 Columbia Blue Dr. in Missouri City, is the closed campus most directly in this community. Houston Public Media reported the seven schools span Sugar Land, Missouri City, the West Oaks area and the Houston city limit.
No timeline, no campus-by-campus plan
On its public FAQ page, FBISD says it will begin a "comprehensive evaluation process" that could include repurposing a site for district programs, leasing or selling the property if trustees declare it surplus, demolishing the building, or exploring other community uses. The FAQ does not provide a timeline for that evaluation or name a proposed use for any of the seven campuses.
The district has not disclosed what it will cost to maintain and secure seven empty buildings.
FBISD said a committee would be formed to explore possible uses, but as of late July had not announced membership, a meeting schedule or any specific plan, Fox 26 reported on July 29.
Parents want answers
Caroline Faw, a Sugar Mill Elementary parent, enrolled her children at Walker Station Elementary through the district's open-enrollment process after the closure. Walker Station is about 15 minutes from her home.
"I just hope that it gets torn down to be houses, honestly," Faw told Fox 26. "I don't want a giant building sitting in our neighborhood. I don't really want it to be a charter school. I'd rather it became a park or just houses to blend in."
Faw said families have received general district emails but nothing specific to Sugar Mill's future.
Lisa Covington, another Sugar Mill parent who pulled her children from FBISD for Aristoi Classical Academy, a charter school opening in the Sugar Land area, told Fox 26 on July 29 that nothing has been communicated about what will be done with the vacant building in her neighborhood.
Land sales already part of the budget fix
The empty campuses sit against a broader financial backdrop. FBISD's proposed 2026-27 budget relies on $7.2 million in land-sale proceeds to meet its reserve target, according to the Houston Chronicle. Deputy Superintendent of Operations Kathleen Brown told trustees in May that land-sale revenue could sustain the district for about three years but called it a temporary fix.
Whether any of the seven closed campuses will be among properties sold remains unanswered.
What's next
The district reviewed placements for more than 1,500 displaced elementary students, including those in special education and dual-language programs. The first student day is Tuesday, Aug. 11. The most recent regular board meeting was Monday, July 27; the next meeting date has not been confirmed publicly. Families can check fortbendisd.gov for the updated board calendar.
