Fort Bend ISD families ask what happens next after vote to close 7 elementary schools

What's next after Fort Bend ISD votes to close seven schools?

Now that Fort Bend ISD has voted to close seven elementary schools, families in the district are wondering what happens next.

SUGAR LAND, Texas - Fort Bend ISD families are pressing for more details after the board approved a plan to close seven elementary schools and redraw attendance boundaries.

The district says the approved plan includes the closure or consolidation of Austin Parkway, Dulles, Fleming, Glover, Mission West, Ridgegate and Sugar Mill elementary schools. The board also approved district-wide elementary attendance boundary changes and attendance boundaries for the opening of Amy Coleman Middle School for the 2026–27 school year.

Where will students go?

What we know:

Fort Bend ISD says the long-range boundary plan is meant to respond to declining enrollment and better match student population with campus capacity. The district’s official press release says leaders will begin working with affected campuses and families to support a smooth transition and that more details, including timelines and campus support plans, will be shared in the coming weeks.

According to the district’s approved boundary summaries, students from the closing schools are expected to be reassigned as follows:

Austin Parkway → Settlers Way or Bhuchar

Dulles → Highlands or Lexington Creek

Glover → Armstrong or Hunters Glen

Ridgegate → Aldridge or Ridgemont

Fleming → Drabek or Townewest

Mission West → Mission Elementary

Sugar Mill → Drabek, Barrington Place or Lakeview

What they're saying:

Parents told FOX 26 the impact is already hitting home.

Danielle Bolks, a Sugar Mill parent, said both of her children have IEPs and that one is dyslexic. She said one of her biggest concerns is whether the same support systems will still be there after the move. She also said the family still does not know what the transition will look like for her children socially or academically. Lisa Covington, another Sugar Mill parent, said her family is devastated and that the closure will split her daughter’s friend group across three schools. She said one of her son’s first reactions was sadness about no longer being able to walk to school.

Questions remain for families

What we don't know:

Parents say they still do not have clear answers on what will happen to teachers and staff at the campuses set to close. Bolks said families have heard very little about staffing and only know that information may come later. Families also say it is still unclear what will happen to the unused buildings once campuses close. Covington said her daughter immediately asked what would happen to the empty Sugar Mill building, and she said parents still do not know whether those campuses could be repurposed, sold or left vacant. Transportation and day-to-day transition details are also still unanswered. Parents told FOX 26 they have not received a detailed plan explaining how students will be supported, how transportation will work or what next school year will look like beyond the district’s general message that more information is coming. 

What they're saying:

Bolks said the uncertainty is especially hard on students who rely on structure and specialized support.

"Both my kids have IEPs and my youngest one is dyslexic," she said, adding that families have worked hard to get children the help they need and now fear losing the environment and services they depend on. Covington said the biggest frustration now is the lack of concrete information from the district.

She told FOX 26 she wishes she had answers for her children about what next year will look like and believes a clearer plan should already have been in place if the district knew the closures were a real possibility. 

What's next:

Fort Bend ISD says the closures and new attendance boundaries are tied to the 2026–27 school year and that district leaders will work with affected families and campuses in the coming weeks and months. For many parents, though, the district’s message is still too broad.

They say the vote may be over, but the bigger question now is how quickly families will get the specific answers they need to prepare.