"Terrible Choice": Decision to Close 76-Year-Old SAISD School May Be Made Monday

San Antonio Independent School District Faces Tough Decision on Carvajal Elementary

San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) officials are considering using $76 million in unspent bond funding to either renovate Carvajal Elementary and a neighboring middle school or demolish both campuses and build a new, modern school that serves grades pre-kindergarten through eight. The decision has sparked intense debate among parents, students, and district leaders.

At an emotional meeting held at Carvajal Elementary, Patti Salzmann, the deputy superintendent, told about 100 attendees, "What’s remaining could build a new vision for this community." However, the future of the school remains uncertain as trustees will consider shutting down Carvajal at a meeting on Monday.

Parents expressed frustration and anger over the possibility of another campus closure in the city’s oldest public school system. In 2023, the district closed 15 campuses due to declining enrollment and financial pressures.

Carvajal Elementary is currently struggling with both enrollment and academic performance. Its student population dropped from 499 in 2020 to 314 today. The school has received an F rating from the state for three consecutive years and is on track for a fourth straight failure, which could lead to a state takeover of the entire district.

The district’s overall enrollment has also declined by 1,600 students this year, bringing it to about 42,500. Superintendent Jaime Aquino highlighted the challenges the district faces, including small class sizes, such as one with nine students at Carvajal. He cited declining school-age populations, lack of state funding, and the threat of a state-appointed board of managers and superintendent, which would remove local control from the district.

"We cannot afford a state takeover," Aquino said. "A lot of these things are out of our control."

Carvajal also has two mixed-grade classes: one with 14 kindergartners and seven first graders, and another with 10 second-grade students and seven third-graders. Shawn Bird, the deputy superintendent of school leadership, said it is challenging for teachers to manage two different grade levels simultaneously.

Bird suggested transferring students to Barkley-Ruiz Elementary, which has a B rating, and dual-language learners to De Zavala Elementary, which has a C rating. This move, he said, would help create "two healthier schools."

"We want to continue to make sure that we are investing in the West Side," he added, referring to the possibility of a new campus designed with neighborhood input.

Robert Luna, a father of two Carvajal students, criticized district officials for neglecting the school. "They don’t tell us what to do with our kids. They don’t care about us," he said.

Stephanie Torres, an SAISD board member with three children in the district, admitted the situation "hurts me" and has left her "on the fence" about how to vote regarding the closure of the 76-year-old school. She defended her record as a trustee, stating, "I ask the hard questions, and I do hold them accountable."

Cynthia Bever, a second-grade teacher at Carvajal, said she loves her job but acknowledged the school faces a "horrible situation." She emphasized the need to close the school this year to keep students together at other campuses or risk being "scattered to the four corners" in the 2027-28 school year.

SAISD, which operates 86 schools, estimates its maximum efficiency could be achieved with 50 new or modernized "hub" campuses. Bever argued that closing now would give the district a chance to move students, teachers, and staff together.

John Guevara, who has a child attending the school, expressed skepticism about the idea of a new school negating the threat of state control. While he praised Torres as a "great representative" on the board, he urged her to "take a stand."

"If the grades continue and it’s four more years as an F, now they have a big school for the state to come over and … take it over for free," Guevara said.

As the district continues to face difficult decisions, the future of Carvajal Elementary remains uncertain, with parents, educators, and administrators all weighing in on the potential impact of the proposed changes.