Carroll ISD will close Don T. Durham Intermediate School before the 2027-28 school year, keep fifth graders at their home elementary campuses and move sixth grade into two middle school campuses. Trustees approved the plan unanimously on Jan. 12, 2026. For Southlake families, it changes which campus a child attends between fifth and eighth grade, and that matters to anyone buying or selling a home in the district.
What did Carroll ISD actually decide?
According to the district's consolidation page, the Board of Trustees approved a campus realignment at a special workshop meeting on Jan. 12, 2026, with changes taking effect in August 2027. Community Impact reported the same night that the vote closes Durham, one of two district campuses that had served fifth and sixth graders.
The new structure works like this:
- Fifth graders stay at their home elementary school instead of moving to an intermediate campus.
- Grades six through eight attend one of two middle school campuses.
- High school campuses and elementary attendance zones do not change.
- Students already attending a campus outside their new boundary may stay until they move up to the next school level.
Which middle school will my child attend after 2027?
The district has published the feeder pattern by elementary school:
- Carroll Middle School: students from Johnson and Walnut Grove elementary schools.
- A new middle school campus formed from the existing Dawson Middle School and Eubanks Intermediate buildings, connected by a planned breezeway: students from Carroll, Old Union and Rockenbaugh elementary schools.
That makes the elementary school attached to an address more important than before, because it now decides the path from kindergarten through eighth grade. When our agents at The Agency Dallas help a family compare Southlake homes, we confirm the zoned elementary for each specific address through the district before anyone writes an offer.
Does this change high school assignments?
No. The district says high school buildings are not changing. Southlake Carroll families who are focused on the high school years will not see a shift from this realignment.
Why is the district closing a campus?
The short answer is enrollment. Hoodline, summarizing Dallas Morning News and district reporting, said Carroll ISD enrollment fell from about 8,500 students in 2022-23 to under 8,000 in 2025-26. The district's own page cites nearly 100 empty classrooms, enough room for close to 2,000 students, along with rising operating costs.
Community Impact reported that Durham enrolled 664 students against a capacity of 849, and that a demographer's report projected enrollment there would fall to 501 by 2029-30. Durham also needed roughly $8 million in repairs over five years, compared with about $1 million for most other district schools.
How much money does the closure save?
The district estimates the change will save or generate about $2.5 million a year. Community Impact reported that staff reductions will focus on administrative positions and that teachers will move with their students to the new campuses.
What happens to the Durham property?
This is the part with the most direct real estate angle. Community Impact reported on March 2, 2026, that the Durham campus sits on about 30 acres and that the district expects it to bring $20 million to $25 million. Board President Cameron Bryan said the proceeds, placed in a high-yield account, could earn about $1.25 million in interest a year.
The sale process, as described at that meeting, follows several steps:
- The board declares the property surplus.
- Staff bring the board a declaration to sell.
- The district assigns the property to a broker selected through a request for qualifications, and the land goes out for bids.
- The board can accept or reject the bids.
The district said the sale would not happen until the 2027-28 school year and that the process could take about a year. No buyer or future use has been announced. Neighbors near the campus will want to watch zoning filings with the City of Southlake once a buyer emerges, since a 30-acre parcel in Southlake is a significant site.
How is this connected to Old Dragon Stadium?
The Durham decision is part of a broader effort by the district to turn underused property into revenue. In June 2026, the Southlake City Council approved an $8.75 million purchase of the Old Dragon Stadium site from Carroll ISD, with plans for a future park. Community Impact also reported the district's recent tax rate election was expected to add about $3.8 million a year. Together these moves show a district reshaping its footprint as enrollment shrinks.
What does this mean for Southlake buyers and sellers?
Most families shopping in Southlake ask about Carroll ISD first. A few takeaways from our agents at The Agency Dallas:
- Buyers with children entering fifth or sixth grade in 2027 or later should map the elementary-to-middle path for each home on their list.
- Sellers should be ready to answer which elementary and middle school their address feeds, because buyers will ask.
- Owners near Durham may see questions from buyers about the future of the site until a sale and plan are public.
For broader context on how the two towns compare, our Southlake and Westlake page covers neighborhoods and schools in the area, and the neighborhoods directory covers the rest of North Texas.
The realignment gives families nearly two school years to plan, which the district has framed as intentional. The district has promised open houses, campus tours, counseling, and a Durham Legacy transition team to honor the school's history. For most households, the practical step is simple: know your zoned elementary, and know where it now leads.
Frequently asked questions
When does Durham Intermediate close?
Carroll ISD trustees voted on Jan. 12, 2026, to close Don T. Durham Intermediate School before the 2027-28 school year. The district's consolidation page says the changes take effect in August 2027. That gives families the rest of the 2025-26 and all of the 2026-27 school years to plan for the new campus assignments.
Where will fifth graders go after the change?
Fifth graders will stay at their home elementary school rather than moving to an intermediate campus. Elementary attendance zones are not changing, so a child's elementary assignment will now cover kindergarten through fifth grade. Sixth grade moves to the middle school level under the new structure approved by the board.
Which elementary schools feed Carroll Middle School?
According to the district, Johnson and Walnut Grove elementary students will attend Carroll Middle School. Carroll, Old Union and Rockenbaugh elementary students will attend a new middle school campus formed from the existing Dawson Middle and Eubanks Intermediate buildings, which the district plans to connect with a breezeway.
Will the Durham campus be sold?
District leaders have discussed selling the roughly 30-acre property, with officials estimating it could bring $20 million to $25 million. Community Impact reported the sale would not happen until the 2027-28 school year and would follow a surplus declaration, broker selection and bidding process. No buyer or future use has been announced yet.
Can my child stay at their current school if boundaries change?
Yes, in many cases. The district says students who already attend a campus outside their new boundary may remain there until they move up to the next school level. Families with specific questions about transfers or siblings should confirm details directly with Carroll ISD, since individual circumstances can vary.
Sources
- Carroll ISD, Campus Consolidation
- Community Impact, Carroll ISD board of trustees vote to close Don T. Durham Intermediate School (Jan. 13, 2026)
- Community Impact, Carroll ISD takes next step in selling Don T. Durham Intermediate School property (March 2, 2026)
- Hoodline, Carroll ISD floats plan to shutter Durham Intermediate (Dec. 17, 2025)
- Community Impact, 3 Southlake City Council actions you may have missed (June 24, 2026)
