Northwest ISD leaders want to avoid the difficult choice many North Texas districts are facing: closing schools.
In answer, officials are allowing students who live outside district boundaries to apply for available seats at select schools as the district tries to get ahead of enrollment declines in certain neighborhoods.
Administrators say offering limited open enrollment is intended to stabilize campuses operating below capacity while preserving the neighborhood school model — and preventing tougher decisions down the road.
“When we looked at other options, they weren’t really what’s best for kids,” said Anthony Tosie, executive director of communications. “One option is closing schools. And when you’re a fast-growth district, that doesn’t necessarily make sense.”
Students outside Northwest ISD boundaries — which include parts of Fort Worth, Saginaw and Keller — can seek enrollment at schools with available space, which tend to be in communities where housing growth has slowed and fewer young families are moving in. Without the initiative, the district could face more frequent rezoning that sends students farther from home or, in more extreme situations, closing campuses, officials said.
Allowing transfer students is common across Texas, where state funding follows the student regardless of where they live, said Amanda Brownson, deputy executive director for the Texas Association of School Business Officials.
“I have visited with a number of districts who are considering allowing transfer students, and this does seem to be picking up as demographic shifts have led to declining enrollment in a number of districts,” Brownson said.
Officials estimate roughly 100 students could participate in the first year, though the total will ultimately depend on family interest.
“We’re dipping our toe in the water,” Tosie said. “We don’t want to make a huge programmatic change if it’s not going to be successful.”
Why now?
While Northwest ISD continues to rank among the fastest-growing districts in North Texas overall, enrollment trends vary by neighborhood.
Trophy Club, for example, is a built-out community where population turnover has slowed, Tosie said.
“When our senior classes at the high school level are graduating, we’re not getting as many kids enrolling at the pre-K to kindergarten level,” he said, citing economic conditions and declining birth rates.
Maintaining efficient campus usage is a financial priority for Texas public schools, administrators say. Many are bracing for even more enrollment shifts as the state prepares to launch its voucherlike program next year. The education savings accounts will allow families to use public dollars toward private schools and homeschooling.
Tosie noted campus enrollment should be at about 80% capacity to ensure fixed costs are manageable.
District leaders say open enrollment allows them to address those pressures early rather than react later.
“We want to get as far ahead of that curve as we can,” Tosie said.
A cautious rollout
Northwest ISD previously offered limited open enrollment until 2017, when its rapid growth eliminated the need for the program.
This time, officials describe the effort as measured — more of a pilot than a sweeping policy shift.
Leaders emphasized the district is not actively recruiting students from neighboring systems, such as Keller or Eagle Mountain-Saginaw schools, but providing an option for families who may live closer to a Northwest campus or want a different academic opportunity.
What families should know
Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, students outside Northwest ISD can seek enrollment at designated campuses with available space. Students accepted must meet academic, attendance and behavioral standards.
Students must live within 30 miles of the requested campus. The district will not provide transportation for these transfer students.
The online application is open through March 1. Families will be notified of acceptance by April 1 and will have two weeks to confirm their intent to enroll. Families whose students are accepted must pay a $100 processing fee per child, capped at $300 per household.
Only campuses with capacity will participate. That list is expected to be reviewed annually.
Schools open to limited open enrollment
Elementary schools
Beck Elementary
Carter Elementary
Cox Elementary
Granger Elementary
Hughes Elementary
Lakeview Elementary
Nance Elementary
Peterson Elementary
Roanoke Elementary
Middle schools
Chisholm Trail Middle School
Medlin Middle School
Tidwell Middle School
High school
District officials say campuses are selected based on available capacity and the list will be reviewed annually.
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1.
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