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The decision to close Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School during a recent Beaumont Independent School District (BISD) Board of Trustees meeting on March 21 was unanimous. Leaders cited both under-enrollment and poor campus performance as the primary reasons behind this resolution. In their view, this closure would serve the best interests of both the students and the district as a whole.
Most recent campus ratings put King Middle School at the bottom of the district’s performing campuses and, although in 2022 it improved from its F rating in 2018-2019, the last year that schools were rated prior to the pandemic, the TEA did not provide grade ratings for schools receiving less than a C, which resulted in four of the district’s five middle schools not rated in 2022.
King Middle School, situated at 1400 Avenue A, operates under the auspices of a charter entity, Green Dot Public Schools. This partnership commenced in the 2020- 2021 academic year, mandated by the state’s accountability structure, which necessitates collaboration with a charter school. Reflecting on this partnership, school authorities emphasized the promise of accessing innovative programming and additional funding aimed at enhancing the school’s accountability ratings. Despite Green Dot’s efforts in implementing its model and witnessing some growth on campus, persistently low enrollment across middle schools within the district and King’s current campus rating prompted BISD to propose the closure for the 2024-2025 academic year.
In correspondence addressed to parents of King Middle School students dated March 19, the Board of Trustees outlined their intention to deliberate on this recommendation during the scheduled March 21 board meeting. Acknowledging the potential disappointment this decision might evoke, the district underscored that it was made after careful consideration and with the overarching aim of serving the best interests of the students and the district.
BISD Superintendent Dr. Shannon Allen shed light on the multifaceted considerations leading to this decision. She mentioned ongoing rezoning efforts and highlighted the persisting issue of underenrollment across middle school campuses. Notably, King Middle School has grappled with under-enrollment for several years, with its current student population of 478 falling considerably short of its capacity, which could accommodate well over 700 students.
Allen articulated the district’s commitment to optimizing efficiency by consolidating student populations into fewer campuses. Addressing concerns about outdated attendance zones and transportation logistics, she emphasized the importance of ensuring that students attend schools closer to their residences.
“The current attendance zone for King Middle School is very outdated,” said Allen.
In 2014, the district closed Austin Middle School and allowed parents to choose to send their students to King or another middle school and, according to Allen, students are passing up schools near their home in order to attend King.
Approximately 296 students currently enrolled in 6th and 7th grades at King Middle School will be affected by this decision. Plans are underway to notify parents of their children’s new school assignments for the 2024-2025 academic year by Wednesday, April 17. Meanwhile, classes will proceed as usual until the conclusion of the current school year.
Allen reassured that all teachers in good standing would be provided with another opportunity within BISD and encouraged their participation in the upcoming BISD job fair. Regarding the future of the King Middle School campus, Allen affirmed that the name would endure in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She further conveyed the board’s commitment to collaborating over the summer to reimagine the facility’s purpose, ensuring its repurposing and maintenance.