Stephen F. Austin Elementary to Remain Open in 2025-2026
We are excited to announce that Stephen F. Austin Elementary School will remain open for the 2025-2026 school year! This decision is due to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) funding guidelines, which impact how schools qualify for state and federal financial support. To align with these new requirements, adjustments have been made to ensure SFA continues to serve our community while preserving critical funding.
To help meet TEA funding guidelines, 6th grade students zoned to SFA will now attend Freeport Intermediate School. The TEA has a rule requiring schools to meet a campus spending threshold, which SFA can more easily qualify for if it serves only Pre-K through 5th grade. If SFA did not meet this requirement, the district could lose $2.3 million in Title 1 funding, which supports 37 staff members across 13 campuses, professional development, and after-school tutorials.
Freeport Intermediate School has already been reconfigured to serve 6th grade students, aligning with the current district feeder pattern. This move also benefits students by providing more elective choices, which were limited at SFA due to the small number of 6th graders.
To help with the transition, Freeport Intermediate staff will visit SFA this spring to meet with 5th and 6th grade students, introduce them to their new school environment, and discuss elective options.
Bus transportation will be provided for students who live two miles or more from their new campus. Once we have finalized the number of students requiring transportation, we will communicate specific bus routes and schedules to parents.
We appreciate your support and understanding as we work to provide the best educational opportunities for all of our students. If you have any questions, please use the
Just Ask feature on our website.
