Arlington ISD trustees will decide the fate of an aging elementary school Tuesday, after years of low academic performance and enrollment.
The possible closure of Blanton Elementary at the end of the school year will be the topic of discussion for a special-called meeting at 6:30 p.m in the Arlington ISD Administration Building, 690 E. Lamar Blvd. Trustees have until the end of the month to notify the Texas Education Agency of their decision.
The future of Blanton was first publicly called into question during a Jan. 8 school board meeting when Superintendent Matt Smith and other district officials proposed the closure of the 69-year-old campus.
Administrators said the building’s condition was less than optimal, with an independent survey finding that over 50% of the school was in “significant need of repair in order to uphold our values and meet our expectations,” according to a district report.
The school has also faced low enrollment and poor academic performance over the last decade.
https://fortworthreport.org/2026/01/14/we-werent-prepared-for-it-parents-and-officials-discuss-future-of-blanton-elementary/
Since 2016, Blanton’s enrollment has dropped by around 270 students and seen academic performance decline compared to other schools, officials said.
Blanton has received three consecutive F ratings in the state’s academic accountability ratings, which are mostly based on STAAR results.
If the F ratings at Blanton continue for two more years, state law dictates that the Texas Education Agency would consider either closing the school or taking control of the entire district. Recently, the Fort Worth and Lake Worth school districts were taken over by the state.
If trustees vote to close the school, a majority of the building will be demolished while a 2013 addition would be reused by the district, Smith told parents Jan. 14.
Chris Moss is a reporter for the Arlington Report. Contact him at chris.moss@arlingtonreport.org.
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