San Antonio ISD unanimously approves closing Carvajal Elementary, citing enrollment declines, repeated failing ratings and takeover risks

Unanimous vote sets closure at end of the 2025–26 school year

San Antonio ISD trustees voted unanimously to close Esther Perez Carvajal Elementary School, a long-standing West Side campus, at the end of the current 2025–26 school year. District leaders framed the decision around two pressures converging on the campus: sustained low academic performance under the state accountability system and a years-long decline in student enrollment.

The vote followed weeks of board discussion and community meetings. The board previously discussed the possible closure on Jan. 12, 2026, without taking action, then returned to the item for a vote on Jan. 20, 2026.

Academic performance and enrollment trends at the center of the decision

Carvajal Elementary has enrolled about 314 students this year after a multi-year decline. District officials also pointed to repeated failing state accountability outcomes at the campus, including three consecutive “F” ratings, and projected that the campus was on track for another failing year.

Under Texas accountability law, consecutive failing ratings at a campus can trigger escalating state interventions, including the possibility of governance changes such as appointment of a board of managers. District officials warned the campus trajectory increased the district’s exposure to state action if performance did not improve.

• Enrollment fell markedly compared with earlier years, tightening staffing and programming options.
• Repeated failing ratings amplified the risk of state intervention under Texas accountability provisions.
• District leaders said maintaining small class groupings at very low enrollment levels was increasingly difficult.

Bond funds and future plans for the site

The closure decision intersects with long-planned facilities work tied to the district’s 2020 bond program. Carvajal was listed for a major renovation project under the bond, with a total allocated budget of $31,583,550 and a scope that included security upgrades, classroom and building overhauls, mechanical system updates, window replacements and other campus-wide improvements. The project had been in design development, with construction timelines previously described as extending into the second half of the decade.

In public discussions about the closure, district leaders also described an alternative concept: redirecting available capital funding associated with Carvajal and nearby facilities to support development of a new campus model at or near the current site, potentially combining grade configurations. Planning for any new build would require additional design work and time, and district officials said construction would not be immediate.

Transition for students and staff

District administrators said families would be offered school-choice pathways within SAISD, including reassignment options to other campuses and application-based programs where available. The district also said it would provide transition support such as campus tours and guidance on enrollment and transportation. Staffing plans were expected to be addressed through district hiring and placement processes as the closure timeline advances.

The campus closure is one of several steps SAISD has taken in recent years to align facilities with enrollment realities while attempting to reduce the number of chronically underperforming campuses.