SAN ANGELO, Texas — San Angelo ISD's Sustainability Plan is moving forward. On Monday, Feb. 27, trustees voted to close or repurpose two of its elementary campuses. In a six-to-one vote, trustees approved combing the attendance boundaries for Alta Loma Elementary with those of Fannin Elementary.
The school board also approved combining the attendance boundaries for Austin Elementary with McGill Elementary. As part of the plan, the Alta Loma and Austin campuses will be repurposed or shuttered in the 2024-2025 school year. The Fannin and McGill campuses will undergo renovations and new builds to welcome the additional students. Those improvements have been approved without a bond measure.
A third elementary school on the chopping block will stay open, at least for now. Trustees voted two-five against repurposing San Jacinto Elementary. The proposal would have combined the attendance boundaries with Reagan Elementary and repurposed San Jacinto into an early childhood education center. Trustees are asking administrators to come back to them with another recommendation for the campus. That is expected to be announced at a school board meeting in March.
SAISD first announced its Sustainability Plan in October 2022. The goal behind the move is to save on operating costs which will amount to about $500,000 for each of the closed campuses. The district said there is also instruction value in combining the schools. Campuses with 500 to 600 students provide them with more resources, more support staff and improved educational environments.
