School Closures

We are aware of rumors circulating in Fort Bend ISD about a possible school closing, specifically a public mention has been made claiming Blue Ridge Elementary School has been slated for closure.

This claim is false.

The closure of Blue Ridge Elementary is not a subject of discussion by the FBISD Board of Trustees or administration.

Annually, the District receives demographic reports as a routine but necessary measure of population and housing trends. The District also conducts an annual review that includes items such as student enrollment, updated projections, student achievement information, and transportation statistics. Last week the board received both reports during its agenda review meeting.

The information is fundamental for responsible stewardship of public tax dollars and efficient and logistical operations in Fort Bend ISD to achieve the best outcomes for our students and staff members.

While it is true that the demographic and enrollment reports assist the District with planning and projections for future campus and facility needs, the recent reports are not being used in any way to support the closing of Blue Ridge Elementary School or any other campus.

We want to remind you that boundaries for Blue Ridge Elementary could be impacted to allow for expansion of the Ridgemont Early Literacy Center, which provides innovative programming and resources to advance reading skills and support socio-emotional growth for the District’s youngest learners.

Boundaries at Briargate and Ridgegate elementary schools could also be affected. The School Boundary Oversight Committee (SBOC), which is comprised of parents and community members, will begin working on the boundary adjustments this fall and recommendations would then be brought forth to our Board of Trustees.

Whenever the District is faced with possible changes to attendance boundaries, Policy FC (Local) and the accompanying procedures guide the decision-making process. This process includes Public Hearings that include soliciting comments, questions and suggestions from community members.  The process culminates with a Final Report with the attendance boundary recommendation/s presented to the Board of Trustees for consideration. New boundaries are then established by the Board upon the recommendation of the Superintendent. After these very public, detailed steps have been completed, changes would take place in the 2022-2023 school year.

Here is a link to our webpage that contains information about the SBOC, along with FBISD’s most recent Demographic Update conducted by PASA (Population and Survey Analysts). You will also find detailed information on the site about enrollment management, master plans for facilities, and current attendance boundaries.

Fort Bend ISD is committed to honest, transparent communications with all our key stakeholders. To honor that commitment, please know that from the earliest stages of discussion the District would notify the community about any possible school closings. Further, we would seek input from all sectors -most especially students and parents in the impacted communities.

If you would like to view the most recent demographic and enrollment reports presented at the March 22, 2021 board meeting, please click this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohHzoqoQScg&t=3s