Killeen ISD Announces Closure of Three Schools Amid Funding Challenges

KILLEEN, Texas — The Killeen Independent School District (KISD) will close three campuses, including Peebles Elementary School, at the end of the 2025-26 school year as part of its District Optimization strategy. The board of trustees approved this decision during an Oct. 28 meeting to address declining enrollment and loss of federal funding.

KISD plans to close Peebles Elementary, which opened its doors in 1960, Palo Alto Middle School, and Eastern Hills Middle School. The closures come after years of low performance, especially at Eastern Hills, which earned failing grades in recent accountability ratings.

KISD will rezone Peebles’ 457 students to nearby schools, including Brookhaven, Cavazos, Clifton Park, and Killeen Elementary. Principal Shakira Bodon leads Peebles, which has improved state accountability scores recently but is still closing due to budgetary concerns.

Olin Parker of the Civic Solutions Group, a consulting firm helping KISD with the optimization plan, noted that the closures could save the district approximately $45 million over five years. He stated that the facilities receiving the students from the closed schools are more efficient.

Community feedback revealed mixed support for the closures. KISD conducted a survey from Aug. 26 to Oct. 3, garnering responses from nearly 1,300 community members. The results indicated over 60% support for closing Peebles and Hay Branch Elementary. However, the board decided to keep Hay Branch open for now, with Trustee Oliver Mintz expressing concerns over the economic impact of its closure.

KISD also plans to implement the 1882 intervention model at Manor Middle School, partnering with an open-enrollment charter school to help improve student performance. This model will allow the charter to manage staffing and curriculum while KISD retains control of the facility.

Moving forward, KISD aims to continue developing plans to address the challenges facing its campuses, particularly those involved in the turnaround plan required by the Texas Education Agency for low-performing schools.