Driscoll, Wilshire, and Clear Spring School Consolidation Overview

Decision Date: February 10, 2025
Effective School Year: 2025–2026

To ensure long-term sustainability, equitable access to resources, and high-quality learning environments for all students, the NEISD Board made the decision on February 10, 2025 to Driscoll Middle School, Wilshire Elementary, and Clear Spring Elementary and repurpose select facilities beginning with the 2025–2026 school year. This page is designed to answer the most common questions from families, staff, and community members and will be updated as new information becomes available.

About the Decision

The decision to consolidate campuses was based on long-term financial, demographic, and operational data. North East ISD has been engaged in extensive analysis and planning over several years to ensure the district remains fiscally responsible while continuing to provide high-quality educational opportunities for all students.

Financial Context

Since the passage of House Bill 3 in 2019, school districts across Texas have not seen significant increases in state funding for general operations. At the same time, inflation has reduced the District’s purchasing power by approximately $1,340 per student since 2020. While the 88th Legislative Session in 2023 provided limited funding for school safety initiatives, no broad increases were made to the basic allotment.

In June 2023, the NEISD Board of Trustees approved a $35 million compensation package—the largest pay increase in the district in 20 years—to support staff recruitment and retention. During that meeting, it was noted that cost savings would be necessary to balance this investment. To begin addressing a $39 million budget deficit, the District identified a need to reduce expenses by approximately $10 million per year for the next three years. With 87% of the district’s budget allocated to personnel, achieving this target required a thorough review of district operations.

Enrollment and Demographic Trends

Demographic trends are also impacting enrollment. According to CDC data, birth rates have declined by approximately 2% annually from 2014 to 2023. This has contributed to a statewide decline in student enrollment and attendance, and NEISD has experienced a reduction of approximately 12,000 students over the past 10 years—equivalent to the capacity of 37 elementary campuses. Currently, more than 70% of households in the NEISD area do not have school-aged children, further influencing enrollment patterns.

District Efforts to Address Enrollment

NEISD has implemented several strategies to support student recruitment and retention:

• Reimagined and expanded magnet programs (e.g., iCSI, SETA, MacUNITED)
• Redesigned Kinder Round-Up with earlier outreach, advertising, and a centralized website with video resources
• Increased access to campus tours and enhanced campus websites
• Partnered with a consulting firm to improve district storytelling and outreach
• Conducted community surveys, exit surveys, and follow-up meetings with families who left the district
• Initiated an attendance study to better understand participation trends

Cost-Saving Measures

To operate more efficiently and prioritize resources for instruction, the District has also taken steps to reduce operational costs:

• Adjustments to secondary staffing allocations
• Redesign of the Hyper-Accelerated Math program
• Reductions in department budgets
• Implementation of cost containment measures (e.g., travel, food, furniture)
• Completion of a district-wide facility assessment to evaluate building usage and long-term sustainability

What’s Next for the Campuses

During the February 2025 board meeting, NEISD also shared how the three campuses will be repurposed:

• Wilshire Elementary will become a North East Police Department (NEPD) Substation and training center for NEPD officers and Campus Safety Specialists.
• Clear Spring Elementary will be converted into the new home of the North East Alternative Center (NEAC).
• Driscoll Middle School will house the Academy of Creative Education (ACE) and North East Transition Services (NETS), and serve as a staff professional development center.

These transitions are cost-neutral to the District. NEISD already owns the equipment—such as desks, chairs, and instructional materials—needed to prepare these facilities for new use.

What’s Next for Families

Students and parents at Driscoll, Clear Spring, and Wilshire were sent an email on February 21, 2025 informing theme of their new campuses, and inviting them to a special welcome event. Updated boundary maps were provided at the campus presentations, and can be found in the links below.

Campus leaders and staff will collaborate to ensure all necessary support and resources are in place for incoming students. Specific strategies, like the Welcome Events, will be developed and implemented once the consolidation plans are finalized.