Fort Bend ISD parents, students warn of consolidation impacts during board meeting

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas - Parents and students spoke out during a Fort Bend ISD school board meeting, raising concerns that the district’s long-range boundary planning could lead to school consolidations and major changes for campuses and the surrounding communities.

Fort Bend ISD parents, student share concerns about school consolidations

Several speakers said they worry consolidations could disrupt stable school environments — including special education support — and move children into unfamiliar settings without guarantees the same level of services would continue.

"Thanks to Sugar Mill, I feel confident that my child is safe and genuinely cared for," one parent said. "They have a SPED team that is cohesive, consistent, and dependable… The thought of dismantling a team that works so well and placing students in an unknown setting with no guarantee of whether the same level of support will exist is really scary to families like mine."

What we know:

Speakers also questioned the timing and potential ripple effects of rezoning and consolidations, with some warning it could create additional academic and emotional disruption for students already dealing with campus changes.

"Our school is already facing a full temporary relocation to Mission Glenn," one speaker said. "Adding rezoning on top of that, uproots our kids twice — socially, emotionally, and academically."

Others framed their concerns around transparency and trust, saying families want to partner with the district but don’t feel meaningfully included in decisions that could reshape where students go to school.

"That’s why families are struggling with the idea of our children being uprooted from an A-rated school where they’re thriving," another speaker said, "especially without feeling meaningfully included in the process."

What we don't know:

It remains unclear which specific consolidation or rezoning scenario the district will ultimately pursue, and what final recommendations will be presented to trustees for a vote.

What they're saying:

Multiple speakers pointed to campus performance and community stability as reasons they want the district to reconsider potential closures or dispersing students across multiple schools.

"But Sugar Mill is a school that went from a C to an A, so that’s kind of hard to stomach," one parent said. "It serves a diverse community. It meets district goals. It’s attracting families back to public education… We want to know the why behind the changes."

One student speaker’s comments underscored how personal the discussion is for children whose day-to-day routines could be affected.

"It’s been really, really, hard for me," the student said. "I just don’t want sugar in my clothes… I’m going to have a whole meltdown… Thank you."

Another speaker warned that closing schools could weaken surrounding communities and create overcrowding at other campuses.

"If you choose to close this school and disperse these children to multiple schools, you are weakening our community," the speaker said. "Are these children going to be in overcrowded classrooms or T-shacks… Please don’t close this school. It is very important to our community."

What's next:

According to the Fort Bend ISD website, a final vote on a plan is expected in March.