Will Fort Worth ISD Shutter De Zavala Elementary? The Shocking Truth Behind the 2027 Closure Proposal

Why This Beloved School Faces the Chopping Block—And What Parents Can Do

Fort Worth Independent School District has stunned parents by proposing the closure of De Zavala Elementary by 2027. The historic campus, nestled in a rapidly changing neighborhood, now fights for survival amid declining enrollment and shifting district priorities.

The Real Reasons Behind the Potential Shutdown

• Enrollment Crisis: Student numbers have dropped 32% since 2018, with just 217 children currently enrolled.
• Budget Realities: Maintaining aging infrastructure costs $1.2M annually—funds the district says could serve more students elsewhere.
• Demographic Shifts: Young families are being priced out as home values near the school jumped 58% in five years.

What Happens Next? The District's Timeline

1. June 2025: Community feedback sessions begin
2. August 2026: Final recommendation to trustees
3. January 2027: Potential closure vote
4. May 2027: Possible final school year

How Parents Are Fighting Back

"We won't let our community anchor disappear," says PTA President Rosa Mendez, whose group launched a #SaveDeZavala petition that's gathered 1,400 signatures in two weeks. Alumni are organizing fundraisers while local historians highlight the school's 1936 origins as a WPA project during the Great Depression.

What Do You Think?

• Should districts close schools with historical significance even when enrollment drops?
• Would redirecting funds to newer schools actually improve education district-wide?
• Is this closure really about budgets—or a push to sell valuable urban land?
• Could the district be doing more to attract families instead of shutting doors?

Breaking Now News will continue following this developing story.