Keller-area lawmakers weigh in on proposed split of school district
Some North Texas lawmakers are reserving opinions on the Keller school district’s proposed split until more information is known.
Rep. Nate Schatzline, whose House district includes much of the district, said he hasn’t seen the district’s proposal, which will be discussed at a Thursday, Jan. 16 meeting. Ultimately, Schatzline, a Fort Worth Republican, said his loyalties are to House District 93 and that he’ll stand with whichever option gives the House district the best educational outcomes.
Schatzline is interested in learning more about where district boundaries will be drawn, how it affects property values and how it impacts school ratings, he said.
Every district school in Keller, Colleyville and Southlake received an “A” rating from the state in 2022, the highest score. Three Fort Worth campuses earned an “A” rating.
“I will probably have a better understanding once I see the proposal,” he said. “If it’s a great thing for Texas House District 93, I’ll support it. If it’s a bad thing, I won’t. So, I’m going to be listening to a lot of constituents on this, how they feel about it.”
Parents have said the district will be split at the Union Pacific Railroad line along Denton Highway, the border between Fort Worth and Keller, but board members haven’t said what they’re proposing.
Schatzline said he’d like to see the official boundary plans before commenting on the lines.
His district includes all of Blue Mound and parts of Fort Worth and Saginaw.
Newly sworn in Rep. David Lowe, a North Richland Hills Republican, also represents a portion of the Keller school district. The House district, House District 91, spans Haltom City, North Richland Hills, Richland Hills, Watauga and part of Fort Worth.
Lowe said he’s planning on sending a letter to the school board seeking more information about the proposal. Taxpayers should have a say in any split, he said.
“You can’t just split a school district and say these buildings go to this school district and these buildings go to this school district, without having the people who own them have a say,” Lowe said.
Lowe said he needs more information before having an opinion on whether the district should split.
The Keller school board meets Jan. 16 at the Education Center at 350 Keller Parkway.
Consideration of a split should be a slow process with public testimony and plenty of time for the public to examine the plans and be well informed, Schatzline said.
“I also think that this cannot be a political thing,” Schatzline said. “This has to be about student outcomes, student achievement and doing the best thing for every child. It cannot be anything more than that, and so, I believe we’ve got to do the will of the voters in every situation, but especially when we’re talking about the livelihood of children inside their schools.”
The district has more than 34,000 students in Keller, Fort Worth, Colleyville, Haltom City, Hurst, North Richland Hills, Southlake, Watauga and Westlake, making it the fourth largest in Tarrant County. More than two dozen of its 42 campuses are in Fort Worth.
The Star-Telegram also sought comment from Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, a Southlake Republican, Sen. Kelly Hancock, a North Richland Hills Republican, and Sen. Tan Parker, a Flower Mound Republican, whose legislative districts fall within the Keller school district.
Either a school board resolution or a petition signed by at least 10% of the district’s registered voters can initiate a split, according to Texas Education Code.
A public election is required if commissioners accept a petition, but the relevant statute does not mention a resolution.
Some parents believe the district could try to use this as a loophole to avoid an election, but education lawyers have interpreted the law as requiring an election in either scenario. Bypassing the election process would be a shift from the norm and set a new precedent, education lawyers said.
Members of the House and Senate are back at the Capitol in Austin for the Texas Legislative Session that began Wednesday, Jan. 14.
Staff Writers Elizabeth Campbell and Cody Copeland contributed to this report.
This story was originally published January 15, 2025 at 3:57 PM.
