Keller Collegiate Academy is preparing for its upcoming relocation to the Keller Center For Advanced Learning, with the transition scheduled in less than five months. This move, initiated by Keller Independent School District (Keller ISD), is a strategic response to escalating facility maintenance expenses at the academy’s current location.
The decision to move was driven by the significant costs associated with upgrading Keller Collegiate Academy’s existing facilities to meet contemporary standards. District estimates indicated that these renovations could reach up to $10 million. This financial consideration is particularly pertinent as Keller ISD addresses a $27 million budget deficit, necessitating careful resource allocation and strategic planning.
Keller Collegiate Academy’s current campus, situated in the Summerfields neighborhood of Fort Worth, will remain operational until the conclusion of the ongoing academic year. Following this, the campus will close indefinitely. Academy students will then integrate into the Keller Center for Advanced Learning, joining students from across the district at this advanced educational facility.
Superintendent Tracy Johnson emphasized that this consolidation is a strategic maneuver intended to enhance the educational opportunities available to students. Speaking at a recent board meeting, Johnson highlighted the merger as a way to enrich student experiences through shared resources and expanded programs at the Keller Center for Advanced Learning.
Keller Collegiate Academy was established in the 2021-22 academic year as an early college high school, with a specialized focus on health care education. The building that initially housed the academy was originally opened in 1994 as Chisholm Trail Intermediate School. Starting with eighth and ninth graders at its inception, the academy expanded to serve students in grades eight through eleven from across the district by the 2023-24 school year.
A key feature of Keller Collegiate Academy is its dual-credit course offerings in partnership with Tarrant County College and The University of Texas at Arlington, enabling students to pursue an associate degree while in high school.
In contrast to Keller Collegiate Academy, the Keller Center for Advanced Learning operates on a period-by-period basis. Students from Keller ISD’s four high schools travel to the advanced learning center throughout the day to participate in specialized classes and programs.
Between December and February, Keller ISD undertook a thorough evaluation of space requirements and explored potential new elective courses to further enrich the academic offerings for students transitioning to the Keller Center for Advanced Learning.
Sign for Keller Center for Advanced Learning in Keller ISD, Texas, indicating its role in advanced educational programs and welcoming Keller Collegiate Academy students in the 2024-2025 academic year.
Within the Keller Center for Advanced Learning, 16 classrooms have been specifically designated for Keller Collegiate Academy students. Starting in the 2024-25 school year, both groups of students will share the campus, albeit with distinct bell schedules and varied class selections.
Keller Collegiate Academy will also adjust its enrollment strategy, discontinuing the admission of eighth-grade students as it transitions to exclusively serving high school grades.
During the 2023-24 academic year, Keller Collegiate Academy had an enrollment of 282 students. For the upcoming 2024-25 year, the district anticipates approximately 300 students, expecting a larger incoming freshman class.
Keller ISD has also updated the academy’s curriculum to incorporate new elective options. This expansion aims to broaden students’ academic pathways and align them with career and technical education credits, enhancing the vocational and academic integration at the Keller Center for Advanced Learning.
Current neighborhood pickup locations for students will remain unchanged. The designated parking areas for students at the Keller Center for Advanced Learning are currently being finalized to ensure a smooth transition and accessibility for all students. The merger is designed to be implemented without necessitating additional facility modifications at the Keller Center for Advanced Learning, leveraging existing resources efficiently.
Board trustees John Birt and Joni Shaw Smith acknowledged that community members and academy parents had expressed initial concerns regarding the relocation.
“I know that there was a little bit of concern in the beginning that students wouldn’t be able to earn their associate’s (degree), but through these new additional electives, they are now going to be able to do that, is that correct?” Smith inquired of district officials, seeking reassurance for parents and students.
Trustee Birt noted concerns from some parents about the move to a facility lacking a gymnasium or schoolyard and the implications for physical education credits, a mandatory component of the state curriculum.
District officials addressed these concerns, assuring Shaw Smith, Birt, and parents that academic structures would be in place to ensure students could continue to pursue associate’s degrees. Furthermore, physical education credit requirements will be met through dual-credit kinesiology courses offered on the campus via Tarrant County College, integrating academic and physical education seamlessly within the Keller Center for Advanced Learning environment.
To facilitate a smooth transition, the district recently organized campus visits for both current and incoming students to familiarize them with the Keller Center for Advanced Learning and its facilities.
“Keller Collegiate Academy is such an amazing opportunity for our students,” Johnson reiterated, underscoring the district’s commitment to maintaining high educational standards through this transition to the Keller Center for Advanced Learning.
Keller ISD officials and board trustees have not yet engaged in discussions regarding future plans for the Keller Collegiate Academy building, leaving the long-term use of the existing facility undetermined.
