Amarillo ISD Updates Prompt Discussion Among Affected Families

Amarillo ISD is launching an online learning program for grades 6-12 in August 2026 funded by a $200,000 grant, with plans to expand to all grade levels by the 2027-2028 school year. The district also voted to close Park, Valley, and Sunrise elementary schools effective 2026.

School Closure Decisions

The closures stem from a decade-long enrollment decline of approximately 4,300 students. District leaders cited the need to reduce operating costs, targeting savings of roughly $1 million per campus annually. Park, Valley, and Sunrise elementary schools are the three sites scheduled to close at the end of the current school year cycle.

Online Learning Program Launch

The new virtual option begins in August 2026 for middle and high school students. Funding comes from the $200,000 grant already secured by the district. Expansion to elementary grades is scheduled for the 2027-2028 school year, giving families an alternative to traditional in-person attendance at remaining campuses.

Accountability Rating Context

Amarillo ISD received an overall B accountability rating from the Texas Education Agency for 2025. The district improved its score from 82 to 83 out of 100 while maintaining the same rating category. This performance measure provides background as families evaluate how the closures and online program may affect daily schooling.

Community members whose children attend the affected elementary schools or who are considering the new online option now face concrete changes to enrollment and transportation routines. The district has outlined the timeline for the closures and the grant-supported virtual program without additional details on transition support at this stage.

Implementation of both the closures and the online program will continue through the 2026-2027 school year, with the full-grade expansion following in 2027-2028.