Approved Plan For Central Elementary

Staff | Space | Resources

Based on current enrollment levels, the Turner feeder pattern’s elementary utilization will improve to 81%.

Districtwide - 85% | Minimum - 75% | Maximum - 90%

At 61 years old, this campus is this feeder’s oldest elementary. With portions of the Turner HS campus immediately bordering the east and west perimeters of Central’s campus, its location presents concerns for safety and security, and general thoroughfare. Consolidation of this campus will allow for long-term improvements at Turner HS.
 

Travel Distance | Access | Neighborhood Feel

This feeder pattern has a very high density of elementary schools, with four different campuses located within one mile of each other. This density ensures that the neighborhood feel will be maintained despite consolidation.

Age | Floor Plan

Higher capacity results in lower cost per student, resulting in the ability to increase staff, space and resources to boost student performance.

Based on current enrollment levels, elementaries in the Turner feeder will improve to an overall utilization of 81%.

At 61 years old, this campus is this feeder’s oldest elementary. With portions of the Turner HS campus immediately bordering the east and west perimeters of Central’s campus, its location presents concerns for safety and security, and general thoroughfare. Consolidation of this campus will allow for long-term improvements at Turner HS.

This feeder pattern has a very high density of elementary schools, with four different campuses located within one mile of each other. This density ensures that the neighborhood feel will be maintained despite consolidation.

Based on state guidelines, bus transportation is offered to families that reside 2-or-more miles away from their attendance area school. Transportation routes can also be added if a route is less than two miles but determined to be hazardous—factors such as construction or other barriers that prohibit safely walking or biking come into consideration.

For this Central ES rezone, CFBISD is studying those specific situations that would require a student to cross Belt Line Road or Josey Lane on foot. Safety will remain a key focus as the district evaluates final bus route information during this summer’s back-to-school planning.

If there are current transportation arrangements made for families based on academic programming or students with special needs, those families will be contacted by the respective departments.

The ELC classrooms at Central will be moved to another campus in the same feeder area.  Campuses for the 2025-2026 school year for students will be shared with parents of students on a consolidated campus by March 14th. 

The district is committed to ensuring that all staff members have positions. While specific assignments may change due to rezoning/consolidation or district needs, our goal is to provide every employee with a role that aligns with their certification and expertise.

District projections (only estimates) indicate that $9M could potentially be realized in the first year, if not more. The remainder of the $19M budget shortfall will come from departments and adherence to strict staffing ratios. All of these savings will be directed to the common goal of a balanced budget which benefits the entire district. 

The Superintendent’s Leadership Team (SLT), which represents all functions of the district, is responsible for overseeing the transition. District administration remains fully committed to ensuring a smooth and successful transition for all scholars and staff, providing the best possible start to the 2025-2026 school year. 

Special Education classrooms are now located in feeder pattern areas based on student need in that area. The classrooms at Central will be moved to another campus in the same feeder area.  When deciding campuses the proximity of your home to the campus with the program decided by the IEP determines the campus. Campuses for the 2025-2026 school year for students will be shared with parents of students on a consolidated campus by March 14th. 

CFB will continue to accept out-of-district transfer applications. The transfer process will remain the same as in previous years.

To build relationships and connections, families and students will be invited to meet staff and tour their new home campuses at special welcome events. All campuses will announce event times and dates before registration begins.

The counseling department will be available to support families throughout the transition. Guidance lessons will be created and presented to help transitioning elementary and middle school students with change.

Yes, enrollment caps at each campus will be based on space, enrollment capacity, and the number of programs offered. After the early registration period ends on May 23, 2025, the final enrollment cap figures will be established.

Yes.  However, families requesting a transfer are not eligible for CFBISD transportation to or from their requested school. Even though notification of the decision for most transfers is within 60 days, due to space limitations and/or teacher allocations, some requests may not be eligible for consideration until the beginning of the school year. Transfers are not considered after the start of the semester, except in extenuating circumstances.

Due to the accelerated timeline required to reassign a large number of staff, this will not be possible at this stage. However, once all placements are finalized, the district will coordinate meet-and-greet events for principals to connect with their new students and staff. Additionally, when the transfer window opens in May, reassigned teachers may have the opportunity to apply for available positions, pending any remaining vacancies.

Yes, the other elementary schools in CFB that have AVID are: 

McWhorter Elementary 
Sheffield Elementary 
Thompson Elementary

After adopting a deficit budget in August of 2023, we recognized the need to take a close look at things, including commissioning a capacity study and a facilities master plan.

The capacity study and facilities master plan was presented to the board in June 2024 and included recommendations for the consolidation of three elementaries and one middle school. The board requested input from the community before taking any action

We wanted our community, staff, and board to have the best information possible so they could make the best decisions. Our demographics information was not up to date, so we commissioned a Demographics study using Fall 2024 snapshot data.

A second consecutive deficit budget of $19 million was adopted in August of 2024, reinforcing the need for change.

Supporting those impacted by the school consolidation plan is a priority for the district. We want to ensure all students and families feel welcome, accepted, and comfortable at any one of our schools. Partnering schools will be intentional in planning events and activities that honor and welcome new students to a campus, as well as celebrate and respect the legacy of a consolidated campus. School counselors ,district crisis counselors, and our evening counseling center, CCC are also available to support families and staff throughout the transition.

Guidance lessons will be created and presented to help transitioning elementary and middle school students with change. 

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) sets class size requirements for grades K-4, and we strictly adhere to the Texas Education Code (TEC) student-teacher ratio of 22:1 for Pre-K through 4th grade. While there are no state-mandated class size limits beyond 4th grade, we remain committed to maintaining the lowest possible student-teacher ratios to support optimal learning environments. 
 

If a student’s home campus changes due to the rezoning or a campus consolidation, they will have a seat at their new home campus.

All teachers will retain a position with the same base pay for the 2025-2026 school year. Placement will be determined based on program needs, ensuring adequate staffing to support students affected by rezoning. Additionally, teachers may be assigned to grade levels where a certified teacher is not currently in place. In some cases, multiple teachers may be assigned to a classroom temporarily, depending on vacancies during the assignment process.

As part of an existing partnership with the City of Farmers Branch, the McLaughlin Strickland land is being repurposed for use by students and the surrounding community. The district continuously evaluates options regarding real estate opportunities.

These proposals were conducted with assistance from third-party companies, primarily Woolpert and PASA, as noted in presentations and online materials. The district did not work with a real estate company as part of these consolidation recommendations and has not solicited potential buyers for the land where Central ES is located.