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The school board president tells FOX 4 that closures are coming. She says it’s necessary despite pushback from Grapevine’s mayor. In hopes of getting more answers, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD parents were expected to pack into a school board meeting on Monday afternoon. What we know: Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is exploring the possibility of closing two to three of its schools. The move could save the cash-strapped district millions of dollars as it deals with dwindling enrollment. According to an email sent to families last Friday, the education master planning committee will meet weekly to form a recommendation to the school board. The district, like many others in North Texas, is facing a large budget deficit and declining enrollment. Why closures are necessary Local perspective: Shannon Braun, President of Grapevine-Colleyville ISD’s board of trustees, is sharing more about plans to close multiple elementary schools. The reason? The board president says all 11 elementary schools are operating under capacity. It’s lost nearly 2,000 students, as funding from the state has failed to keep pace. "We don’t have any other option than to close schools," said Braun. "So, it’s been two to three. Our goal is three. We need to close three." So, while Braun says the district is financially sound, consolidations and closures will help the district remain financially sound. "We need to be able to reinvest back in ourselves," said Braun. Community and parent pushback The board is debating several scenarios about which schools to close. Some residents at Monday night’s board meeting pleaded for the board to step back. "Next month, you’re going to make a crappy decision, you’re going to close three elementary schools, because you’re looking at a 6-month to 12-month window instead of a three to five-year window. And then we’re going to be in another Fubar situation because we don’t have the ability to house or teach any growth that we may have in this community. So, I hope I’m wrong. Prove me wrong, please." The Mayor's opposition The other side: Grapevine’s mayor of nearly 50 years has not been shy about opposing school closures. "I don’t think you can justify closing schools because they’re losing students. We’re a rich district. We ought to be able to keep our schools open, so why can’t we inventory what it takes to do that?" said Mayor Tate. Mayor William Tate holds no jurisdiction to decide if schools will close. That being said, the mayor, who says city council has not met about the topic, has not ruled out stepping in after a closure decision. He declined to say if that might include legal action. "But once they decide to close schools and identify those, if they’re in Grapevine, then we have standing to address it because it affects the city budget, it affects sidewalks, the streets, public safety," said Mayor Tate. Some at Monday’s meeting believe city leaders should stay out of the school district’s business. "They’ve overstepped, they’re out of line," said one parent at the meeting. "It’s an overreach. It’s an overreach of power," said Braun. What's next: Ultimately, the board president believes closures are inevitable. "No one wants to do this. I mean this is very hard," she said. The board president says she’s hopeful for a vote to take place in December, with the school closures happening next school year.
