Keller Independent School District
School district in Texas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Keller Independent School District is a school district based in Keller, Texas, United States. Keller ISD covers 51 square miles (130 km2) in northeast Tarrant County in cities such as Keller, Fort Worth, Haltom City, Watauga, North Richland Hills, Hurst, Colleyville, Southlake, and Westlake, serving more than 33,000 students across 42 campuses.[1][5] In 2022, the school district was given an overall grade of "B" by the Texas Education Agency.[6]
| Keller Independent School District | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
350 Keller Parkway, Keller, Texas
76248United States | |
| Coordinates | 32.933810°N 97.24772°W |
| District information | |
| Type | Public |
| Motto | Intentionally Exceptional |
| Grades | Pre-K–12[1] |
| Established | 1911[2] |
| Superintendent | Cory Wilson (interim)[3] |
| School board | 7 members[4] |
| Chair of the board | John Birt[4] |
| Schools | 42[1] |
| NCES District ID | 4825260[1] |
| Students and staff | |
| Students | 33,250 (2023–24)[1] |
| Teachers | 2,379.88 (FTE) (2023–24)[1] |
| Staff | 4,263.31 (2023–24)[1] |
| Student–teacher ratio | 13.97[1] |
| Colors | Green, white |
| Other information | |
| ESC | 11 |
| Website | www |
History
In the 1999-2000 school year, Keller ISD had 2 high schools serving grades 9-12 (Keller and Fossil Ridge), 2 middle schools with grades 7-8 (Keller and Fossil Hill), 2 intermediate schools with grades 5-6 (Bear Creek and Chisholm Trail), and 9 elementary schools. Of the 9 elementaries, 4 served grades K-4 (Keller-Harvel, North Riverside, Park Glen, and Willis Lane), Parkview served grades PK-4, and the remaining 4 served Head Start-4 (Florence, Heritage, Shady Grove, and Whitley Road).
In 2000, Hillwood Middle and Parkwood Hll Intermediate opened across the street from one another on Parkwood Hill Boulevard. Hidden Lakes and Lone Star Elementaries both opened with grades K-4.
In 2001, Indian Springs Middle and South Keller Intermediate opened as neighboring schools on Bursey Road.
In 2002, Bluebonnet and Freedom Elementaries opened with grades K-4.
In 2003, Central High opened with grades 9-10, scheduled to add one grade per year over the next 2 years. Head Start and Pre-K are added to most of the remaining elementaries.
In 2004, Bette Perot and Woodland Springs Elementaries opened.
In 2005, Liberty Elementary opened.
In 2006, Trinity Springs Middle and Trinity Meadows Intermediate opened as neighboring schools on Keller Hicks Road. Independence and Friendship Elementaries opened.
In 2007, Eagle Ridge Elementary opened.
In 2008, Basswood and Caprock Elementaries opened.
In 2009, Timber Creek High opened with grades 9-10, scheduled to add one grade per year over the next 2 years.
In 2010, Timberview Middle opened with grades 5-8, a new concept for the district. Keller Early Learning Center opened, housing all Keller ISD Head Start and Pre-K students. All elementary schools now housed grades K-4.
In 2011, Ridgeview Elementary opened.
From 2012-2016, no new schools are opened as the district's enrollment begins to level out.
In 2016, Sunset Valley Elementary opened. Keller Early Learning Center - South is opened and Keller Early Learning Center is renamed Keller Early Learning Center - North. South Keller Intermediate becomes Keller Center for Advanced Learning (KCAL), housing select CTE programs for all district high schools. Indian Springs Middle School became a 5-8 campus.
In 2017, Vista Ridge Middle opened with grades 5-6, scheduled to add a new grade per year over the next 2 years to become a 5-8 campus.
In 2020, Vista Ridge housed grades 6-8 and Chisholm Trail Intermediate becomes a 6th-only campus. Grade 5 for is relocated to their feeder elementary campuses (Basswood, Bluebonnet, Heritage, North Riverside, Parkview, and Sunset Valley).
In 2021, Chisholm Trail Intermediate becomes Keller Collegiate Academy (KCA) with grades 9-12. Unlike KCAL, students apply to attend KCA and enter the early college high school program. Fossil Hill Middle becomes a 6-8 campus. Florence and Heritage Elementaries open their newly rebuilt campuses.
In 2023, Parkview and Whitley Road Elementaries open their newly rebuilt campuses.
In 2025, both Early Learning Centers are closed due to the districts financial constraints. Head Start and Pre-K programs are returned to zoned elementaries.
In 2026, the district's Long Range Planning Committee and Citizens Bond Advisory Committee met 5 times to discus campus consolidation. The school board voted to close the remaining intermediate campuses, but spared Shady Grove Elementary. By closing Shady Grove Elementary, Ridgeview Elementary would be strictly zoned to Keller High rather than split with Timber Creek High.
In 2027, Bear Creek, Parkwood Hill, and Trinity Meadows Intermediates will be retired due to the ongoing district financial constraints. All middle schools will house grades 6-8 and elementaries grades PK-5.
Schools
Schools are listed with the cities they are located in; predominantly, most schools are located in northeast Fort Worth, Texas, while some are within Keller, Texas city limits.
| Name | Established | Mascot | Colors | Location | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central High School | 2003 | Chargers | Maroon & Gold | Fort Worth | |
| Fossil Ridge High School | 1994 | Panthers | Black & Gold | Fort Worth | |
| Keller High School | 1934 | Indians | Navy & Gold | Keller | New campuses constructed in 1962 & 1984 |
| Timber Creek High School | 2009 | Falcons | Purple & Gold | Fort Worth |
| Name | Grades | Established | Mascot | Colors | Location | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek Intermediate School | 5-6 | 1973 | Braves | Blue & Yellow | Keller | Will close after 2026-2027 school year |
| Fossil Hill Middle School | 6-8 | 1987 | Panthers | Black & Gold | Fort Worth | |
| Hillwood Middle School | 7-8 | 2000 | Chargers | Crimson & Gold | Fort Worth | Will reconfigure to house grades 6-8 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Indian Springs Middle School | 5-8 | 2000 | Indians | Navy & Gold | Keller | Will reconfigure to house grades 6-8 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Keller Middle School | 7-8 | 1962 | Comanches | Royal Blue, Black, & White | Keller | Will reconfigure to house grades 6-8 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Parkwood Hill Intermediate School | 5-6 | 1999 | Chargers | Crimson & Gold | Fort Worth | Will close after 2026-2027 school year |
| Timberview Middle School | 5-8 | 2010 | Falcons | Purple & Gold | Fort Worth | Will reconfigure to house grades 6-8 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Trinity Meadows Intermediate School | 5-6 | 2005 | Mustangs | Red & Black | Fort Worth | Will close after 2026-2027 school year |
| Trinity Springs Middle School | 7-8 | 2005 | Titans | Green, Black, & Gold | Fort Worth | Will reconfigure to house grades 6-8 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Vista Ridge Middle School | 6-8 | 2017 | Panthers | Black & Gold | Fort Worth |
| Name | Grades | Established | Mascot | Colors | Location | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood Elementary School | PK-5 | 2008 | Panthers | Black & Gold | Fort Worth | |
| Bette Perot Elementary School | PK-4 | 2004 | Patriots | Red, White, & Blue | Fort Worth | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Bluebonnet Elementary School | PK-5 | 2002 | Panthers | Black & Gold | Fort Worth | |
| Caprock Elementary School | PK-4 | 2008 | Gators | Green & Blue | Fort Worth | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Eagle Ridge Elementary School | PK-4 | 2007 | Eagles | Red, White, & Blue | Fort Worth | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Florence Elementary School | PK-4 | 1975 | Indians | Navy & Gold | Southlake | Current campus opened in 2021; Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Freedom Elementary School | PK-4 | 2002 | Eagles | Red, White, & Blue | Fort Worth | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Friendship Elementary School | PK-4 | 2006 | Chargers | Crimson & Gold | Fort Worth | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Heritage Elementary School | PK-5 | 1987 | Panthers | Black & Gold | Fort Worth | Current campus opened in 2021 |
| Hidden Lakes Elementary School | PK-4 | 2000 | Indians | Navy & Gold | Keller | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Independence Elementary School | PK-4 | 2006 | Mavericks | Red, White, & Blue | Fort Worth | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Keller-Harvel Elementary School | PK-4 | 1993 | Cowboys | Navy & Gold | Keller | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Liberty Elementary School | PK-4 | 2005 | Eagles | Red, White, & Navy | Colleyville | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Lone Star Elementary School | PK-4 | 2000 | Chargers | Crimson & Gold | Fort Worth | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| North Riverside Elementary School | PK-5 | 1998 | Panthers | Black & Gold | Fort Worth | |
| Park Glen Elementary School | PK-4 | 1990 | Cheetahs | Crimson & Gold | Fort Worth | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Parkview Elementary School | PK-5 | 1980 | Panthers | Black & Gold | Fort Worth | Current campus opened in 2023 |
| Ridgeview Elementary School | PK-4 | 2011 | Rattlers | Red & Black | Keller | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Shady Grove Elementary School | PK-4 | 1991 | Stars | Navy & Gold | Keller | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Sunset Valley Elementary School | PK-5 | 2016 | Panthers | Black & Gold | Fort Worth | |
| Whitley Road Elementary School | PK-4 | 1985 | Chargers | Crimson & Gold | Watauga | Current campus opened in 2023; Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Willis Lane Elementary School | PK-4 | 1998 | Wranglers | Navy & Gold | Keller | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Woodland Springs Elementary School | PK-4 | 2004 | Wildcats | Green, White, & Purple | Fort Worth | Will reconfigure to house grades PK-5 after 2026-2027 school year |
| Name | Established | Location | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keller Center for Advanced Learning | 2016 | Keller | |
| Keller Collegiate Academy | 2021 | Keller | KISD's early college high school |
| Keller Compass Center | 1995 | Keller | Houses New Direction High School and DAEP |
| Name | Established | Closed | Location | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chisholm Trail Intermediate School | 1990 | 2021 | Fort Worth | |
| Early Learning Center North | 2009 | 2025 | Fort Worth | |
| Early Learning Center South | 2016 | 2025 | Keller | |
| Keller Elementary School | 1951 | Circa 1993 | Keller | |
| South Keller Intermediate School | 2001 | 2016 | Keller |
Controversies
Book challenges
The school district has received national attention for examining over forty books from library media centers and classrooms, including The Diary of Anne Frank, The Bluest Eye, and several versions of the Bible.[7][8][9]
Film crew incident
On February 9, 2024, a seven-person film crew from Dutch evangelical television network Evangelische Omroep entered Central High School to film an episode of God, Jesus, Trump! ,[10] a documentary series examining Christian culture in the United States, without authorization from the school district. The film crew was invited and accompanied by two school board members, one of whom resigned in the aftermath of the incident, and was observed touring the school premises interviewing and filming students and employees. Concerns were raised by parents and students about the violation of privacy rights and the exploitation of students to promote a political agenda.[11][12][13] >
The Laramie Project
In 2024, the school district canceled a planned performance by Timber Creek High School of The Laramie Project, a play about the 1998 hate crime murder of gay college student Matthew Shepard, citing a desire to host a more community-friendly performance. This decision was seen by many students and parents, as well as The Laramie Project playwright Moisés Kaufman, as homophobic.[14] The district reversed the decision after community outcry.[15]
District Split possibility
During early 2025, the district Board of Trustees considered the possibility of splitting the district into two due to budgetary issues. The proposed plan to split the district involved the existing district being renamed to “Alliance ISD,” encompassing the entire current district and retaining all existing assets and liabilities, including approximately $700 million in bond debt. Following this rebranding, the portion of the district located east of U.S. Highway 377 would have formally detached and established itself as a separate entity under the original name of Keller ISD. This would have allowed the new district to qualify for benefits available to newly created school districts, while leaving the rebranded Alliance ISD with the majority of lower-income students and the majority of the district’s existing debts. The proposal faced significant opposition due to a perceived lack of transparency and questions over how certain facilities like the Keller Center for Advanced Learning (KCAL) and district natatorium would be shared between the two districts. The public backlash resulted in the resignation of district superintendent Tracy Johnson, a student-led walkout at all 4 high schools and some of the middle schools, and ultimately the abandoning of the proposal with the district citing "no viable path forward."[16][17][18][19]