North Fort Worth neighborhood forms legal fund to fight Keller school district split
A far north Fort Worth neighborhood association is building a legal war chest to fight the proposed split of the Keller school district.
The move comes roughly a month after it was revealed that members of the Keller school board privately discussed a plan to split the district along U.S. 377 during a Dec. 19 executive session meeting.
The Heritage Legal Task Force, formed by the board of the Heritage Home Owners Association, is calling for any proposed split to be put to a public vote, according to a press release emailed to the Star-Telegram.
“We believe such a significant decision impacting our children’s education and our community must be made by the community,” the press release said.
The Hillwood-developed community encompasses roughly 3,400 homes straddling Heritage Trace Parkway between Riverside Drive and Ray White Road.
The legal task force has raised $40,000, and is soliciting donations through a GoFundMe campaign, according to the press release.
The GoFundMe had raised $6,640, as of 4:57 p.m. on Feb. 11.
Representatives for the school district and the school board did not immediately respond to an email from the Star-Telegram requesting comment.
Two board members, Chelsea Kelley and Joni Shaw Smith, confirmed online rumors about the split in a pair of Jan. 9 Facebook posts. Both said they were blindsided by the move and have worked actively to oppose the split.
Board members supporting the split have argued the move is needed to address funding challenges brought on by dropping enrollment and the failure of the state legislature to raise per pupil funding to keep up with post-pandemic inflation.
However, a Dec. 19 email from a school finance consultant to members of the school board revealed the split would shift costs for underfunded programs onto the new district west of U.S. 377.
Several elected officials, including Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and city council members Charles Lauersdorf and Alan Blaylock, have come out in opposition to the split. They’ve criticized the lack of transparency around the process and pushed for a public vote to settle the issue.
Republican State Rep. David Lowe of North Richland Hills, whose district includes some Keller Schools, is also filing a bill to require an election before a district is allowed to split.
This story was originally published February 11, 2025 at 12:08 PM.
.jpg)