The Killeen ISD Board of Trustees on Tuesday reviewed the timeline for required turnaround plans at Manor, Palo Alto, and Eastern Hills middle schools, with district optimization work expected to guide the strategies included in the plans.
Deputy Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and School Leadership Dr. Terri Osborne presented the timeline and requirements for the plans, which must be submitted to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) by Nov. 14, 2025. The plans are designed to address root causes of low performance and will incorporate strategies aligned to the state’s Effective Schools Framework.
The district’s ongoing District Optimization work will also be integrated into the turnaround plans. Launched in February 2025, Optimization is designed to prepare KISD for anticipated federal funding cuts that could total $31 million over the next four years. The effort also addresses declining enrollment, maximizes resources, and supports long-range facility planning. Because these decisions directly affect campuses identified by TEA, the board’s final Optimization actions will be incorporated into the turnaround plans.
Draft scenarios under consideration include potential middle school closures, rezoning, or implementation of state-approved “restart” models such as Accelerating Campus Excellence (ACE) or 1882 partnerships. Final District Optimization recommendations will be presented to the board on Oct. 21, with board approvals scheduled for Oct. 28. Following those decisions, the district will begin gathering final stakeholder feedback on the turnaround plans before submission to TEA.
In other news, trustees approved the addition of a fourth district priority, Safety and Security, to the district’s strategic plan. This new priority joins Student Success, Human Capital, and Financial Stewardship and will guide district performance goals.