State-Appointed HISD Board Unanimously Votes to Close or Consolidate 12 Campuses

The state-appointed Houston ISD Board of Managers voted unanimously 9–0 to close or consolidate 12 campuses for the 2026-27 school year, endorsing a plan Superintendent Mike Miles proposed roughly two weeks earlier as district leaders cited years of enrollment decline and rising facility costs. The decision came at a tense night meeting that produced immediate booing and emotional scenes from families and community leaders.

Board members acted at a meeting on Thursday night, Feb. 26, 2026, after a process district officials say included more than 20 campus meetings and 25 campus-based sessions that drew about 700 families, although several elected officials said access to those meetings was limited to impacted communities and not publicly posted. Michael Wilson’s reporting noted that principals were notified before the public announcement and that an HISD trustee said she was initially denied entry to one session.

Sources differ on operational detail but agree on scope: Michael Wilson reported the 12 affected campus entities include nine elementary schools, two middle schools and Middle College High School at HCC Gulfton. Defender Network described the same action as a “sweeping consolidation plan” that would shutter 11 physical campuses by closing seven outright and co-locating four schools in shared buildings; both accounts concur that 12 campus entities are involved even if descriptions of physical buildings vary. Defender Network named Alcott Elementary and Briscoe Elementary among those affected and said Alcott students will transition to Mading Elementary while Briscoe students will move to Carrillo Elementary.

District officials and Miles framed the closures as a fiscal and operational response to enrollment that has fallen since 2017 and to underused buildings. Defender Network reported that nearly a quarter of HISD schools operate at less than half capacity. Miles told reporters that “It’s hard to be a principal of a school with 150 kids... you can’t replace the plumbing… or the air conditioning unit and things like that.” Wilson’s coverage said Miles acknowledged that “schools represent history and community pride but said the district must focus on allocating resources efficiently.”

The board approved a transition plan that KTRK said includes reassigning students to designated receiving schools, direct outreach to affected families, staff reassignment, transportation arrangements and ongoing community engagement. KTRK also reported that contracted staff at affected schools will not be laid off and will be guaranteed a job at a different district location pending regular contract renewals.

Public testimony filled the meeting: Houston Public Media counted nearly 80 elected officials, parents, students and community members who spoke in opposition. After the final speaker the board voted and the crowd began booing; Port Houston Elementary parent Daisy Mariano burst into tears and parents were photographed consoling one another. KTRK reported that one person was escorted from the building after remaining on the podium beyond speaking time and that the board briefly declared a recess while Miles sternly urged decorum.

Elected officials pressed for a delay. U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia told the board: “Decisions like that require real partnership – real partnership – with parents, teachers and stakeholders that did not happen here... Families in my district are telling me they were completely blindsided, but many felt the outcome was decided before they even had a chance to be heard in my district.” Defender Network quoted Christian Menefee saying, “Folks across our communities need to know that our education system right now is run by Governor Abbott in the state of Texas.” State Rep. Charlene Ward Johnson and State Sen. Carol Alvarado also urged postponement.

District leaders approved the plan for the 2026-27 school year, but the full, itemized list reconciling which of the 12 entities will be closed outright versus co-located and the complete timeline for family outreach and receiving-school capacities have not been disclosed; Defender Network warned the move could “ripple far beyond classrooms and reshape already vulnerable neighborhoods,” underscoring the broader community stakes as families and staff prepare for reassignment next school year.