Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker opposes an idea being bandied about by Keller ISD trustees that would see the north Tarrant County district split into two separate independent school districts.
Keller ISD has not formally discussed nor proposed the district division. said the school board would divide the district along Denton Highway, with the creation of a new Alliance ISD to the west and a shrunken Keller ISD to the east.
A Keller ISD spokesperson did not immediately respond to a Fort Worth Report request for comment. The next Keller ISD school board for Jan. 23.
Parker learned about the move to potentially split Keller ISD during a late afternoon meeting Jan. 7. She has not heard directly from Keller ISD administrators nor trustees.
鈥淏ased on the information I鈥檝e gathered since then, I do not support a move to split Keller ISD, which would impact countless students and families,鈥� Parker said in a statement. 鈥淓nsuring every child has full access to a quality education should be the top priority for all decision makers. And like every decision regarding our kids and their education, it鈥檚 critical this discussion and process is given extremely careful thought.鈥�
Fort Worth City Council member Charles Lauersdorf, who represents most of the Keller ISD population, told the Report he鈥檚 heard the same rumors. If Keller ISD split, Lauersdorf would represent nearly all of the population within the new Alliance ISD.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 heard anything officially,鈥� Lauersdorf said. 鈥淚鈥檓 standing by, ready to collaborate and work with Keller ISD for the betterment of our students and staff, whatever that looks like. You know, we鈥檙e waiting.鈥�
A is allowed under state law. The Keller ISD school board would have to approve a resolution outlining the parts of the district that would be detached.
The Tarrant County Commissioners Court would first hold a hearing on the resolution then call for an election. Besides the school district, the commissioners would be the only other authority on the initiative.
The mayor and council members would have zero authority over the proposed split.
ivision would move forward only if a majority of voters approved and at least 25% of the registered voters in each proposed school district cast a ballot.
If the ballot initiative is approved, the commissioners would appoint a seven-member school board that would serve until the next regular election.
Lauersdorf isn鈥檛 taking a side on splitting Keller ISD, but he has one objection.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 oppose it just yet, because I don鈥檛 know what it would actually look like,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 opposed to the lack of transparency, though.鈥�
Jacob Sanchez is a senior education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or .
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or .
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