Judson ISD board votes to close four campuses as deficit grows and enrollment declines
Four-campus consolidation plan advances amid budget gap
Judson Independent School District trustees voted 6-1 on Feb. 9, 2026, to move forward with permanently closing four schools—three elementary campuses and one middle school—as part of a broader consolidation effort tied to the district’s projected budget shortfall and sustained underuse of facilities.
The Feb. 9 action set the number of closures but did not finalize which campuses will be shut down. District leadership has stated that closure decisions will be paired with districtwide boundary changes to reassign students and balance capacity across campuses before the 2026-27 school year.
Which schools are under consideration
District planning materials and public discussions have identified a group of campuses being evaluated for closure. At the middle school level, the options include either the Kitty Hawk Middle School/JSTEM Academy campus or Judson Middle School. At the elementary level, trustees are expected to select three schools to close from a list that includes Park Village, Ed Franz, Woodlake, the Fine Arts Academy at Olympia, and Spring Meadows.
Closure count approved: 3 elementary schools and 1 middle school
Estimated savings discussed publicly: about $7 million
Next major vote date: Feb. 16, 2026, to decide specific campuses
Financial drivers: deficit, capacity, and the failed tax election
District leaders have linked the consolidation plan to a projected deficit that has been discussed publicly as roughly the mid-$30 million range, with district communications also referencing an approximate $37 million gap. Trustees and administrators have cited multiple pressures, including declining enrollment, inflation-driven operating costs, and the expiration of pandemic-era federal relief funds that supported budgets in prior years.
In November 2025, voters rejected a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election that district leaders said would have generated approximately $21 million in additional annual operating revenue. District planning discussions have also emphasized that many campuses are operating well below capacity, with some sites described as roughly 50% to 60% utilized.
Enrollment outlook and transportation constraints
Demographic projections presented to trustees anticipate continued enrollment contraction over the next several years. Planning discussions have included estimates of a decline of roughly 1,500 students by 2030 from current enrollment levels in the low-20,000s.
Administrators have also raised operational limits on how many campuses can be closed at once without significantly increasing student travel times, particularly given the district’s geographic footprint. District officials have stated that closing more than three elementary schools could push some bus rides beyond an hour for certain areas.
Board division and leadership turnover
The vote to proceed with four closures passed with one dissenting trustee, who argued for fewer closures this year. The consolidation planning has unfolded alongside leadership instability. The board voted on Feb. 5, 2026, to terminate Superintendent Milton “Rob” Fields III in a 4-3 decision and appointed Deputy Superintendent Mary Duhart-Toppen as interim superintendent.
District leaders have stated that boundary redraws will be required across much of the district to implement the closures and consolidate enrollment ahead of the next school year.
Judson ISD is among the largest school systems in the San Antonio area, serving more than 20,000 students across roughly 30 campuses. Trustees previously approved a campus closure in late 2024, with Coronado Village closing at the end of the 2024-25 school year.