KISD Holds Final Town Hall on School Closures and Optimization Plans

KILLEEN, Texas — The Killeen Independent School District (KISD) hosted its final town hall on Thursday evening at the Ellison High School cafeteria. The meeting focused on the District Optimization plan, which may lead to school closures to address declining enrollment and decreasing federal funding.

Families, staff, and community members were invited to learn about proposed changes and offer input on various scenarios. Among the topics discussed were the future of Venable Village Elementary, Palo Alto Middle School, Willow Springs Elementary, and the long-term planning for high schools, including expanded access to Career Technical Education.

Approximately 70 attendees divided into small groups after the opening remarks by KISD officials. They reviewed data regarding specific schools and were encouraged to share their thoughts on the proposals.

Olin Parker from Civic Solutions Group, a consulting firm working with KISD, outlined potential scenarios previously discussed in school board meetings. He mentioned closing Venable Village Elementary and sending students to other nearby elementary schools as a viable option. He also suggested the possibility of expanding the bilingual program at Willow Springs Elementary.

For middle schools, Parker indicated that closing Palo Alto Middle School and rezoning students to other campuses could streamline resources. He detailed intervention strategies for underperforming middle schools, such as the Accelerating Campus Excellence (ACE) model, which offers incentives for highly effective teachers.

Interim Superintendent King Davis spoke about the immediate need for action, citing poor accountability scores from the Texas Education Agency for KISD middle schools. “We have three historically failing campuses,” Davis said. “The Texas Education Agency has indicated concerns about our middle school performance. We must implement solutions promptly.”

The efficiency and effectiveness of the school’s operations will remain a priority as KISD grapples with these challenges. Community feedback will continue to be gathered through online surveys, open until October 3.

The KISD Administration is set to present its recommendations to the school board in late October following the completion of the town hall series.