PISD to close 1 campus, restructure another
Pasadena ISD trustees voted Tuesday, May 26, to close McMasters Elementary and restructure Tegeler Community School, a decision driven by years of declining enrollment, rising operational costs and aging facilities.
The vote followed an emotional meeting where parents, teachers and former students urged the board to reconsider. Many described the 58-year-old McMasters an anchor in their tight-knit community. Others said they felt blindsided by how quickly the proposal advanced.
Pasadena ISD officials say districtwide enrollment has dropped by more than 2,000 students in recent years, reducing state funding, which is tied to attendance. Many Pasadena neighborhoods in the district consist of aging communities with fewer young families, driving much of the decline in enrollment.
“Declining enrollment requires us to examine how we use our facilities to operate efficiently while maintaining strong academic programs,” Pasadena ISD officials said in a statement following Tuesday’s vote.
McMasters
Located on the district’s northeast side, McMasters Elementary has seen its student body drop by nearly 16 percent over the past five years and currently serves 328 students.
McMasters also faces significant infrastructure needs, with leaders noting the campus would require millions of dollars in repairs.
Students will be rezoned to nearby Parks Elementary, located less than a mile away.
Tegeler
Tegeler Community School is described as Pasadena ISD’s “nontraditional” campus. It serves students who need additional academic, behavioral or social‑emotional support.
The campus offers smaller class sizes, individualized instruction, counseling and credit‑recovery options.
Like McMasters, Tegeler also has a long history in the district. For many years, it operated as the Tegeler Career Center, an alternative high school program focused on vocational pathways. Over the years, however, Pasadena ISD gradually shifted the campus away from career‑technical training and toward behavioral support and wraparound services.
Under the restructuring plan approved Tuesday night, Tegeler will be divided into two “school‑within‑a‑school” programs, one located at Dobie High School and the other at South Houston High School.
Dobie enrollment
The move sends a portion of Tegeler’s students to Dobie High School, which is already one of the largest high schools in Texas. Dobie’s enrollment has climbed steadily for more than a decade and now sits near 4,800 students, according to recent TEA data. Dobie’s enrollment grew sharply after the 2018 opening of its satellite ninth-grade center on Monroe near Fuqua.
That growth stands in sharp contrast to the enrollment declines seen in older North Pasadena neighborhoods. The South Belt area has experienced population growth, younger families moving in and increased housing density, all of which have pushed Dobie’s numbers upward year after year.
The Tegeler program will be added to a campus that is already operating at a very large scale. District officials say the “school‑within‑a‑school” model will allow Tegeler’s specialized support services to function independently inside Dobie, without merging its students into the general population. Due to Tegeler’s small class sizes, only 120-160 students will be affected, much fewer than a traditional campus.
Pasadena ISD officials emphasized its financial challenges and commitment to students:
“Pasadena ISD is committed to responsible stewardship of our resources and ensuring every student has access to a high‑quality education.”
The district also stressed that no employees will lose their jobs, with staffing changes handled through attrition rather than layoffs.
Pasadena ISD officials said the district will continue to update families as the transition moves forward.
May 26 primary runoff election results tallied
South Belt voters returned to the polls Tuesday, May 26, for the primary runoff elections, and the results are now in across the county, state and federal races.
County races
– Harris County judge: Both parties voted for their nominee for Harris County judge.
Democrats: In the Democratic runoff, Letitia Plummer narrowly defeated Annise Parker, earning 51 percent of the vote to Parker’s 49 percent.
Republicans: On the Republican side, Orlando Sanchez won decisively, taking 63 percent of the vote over Warren Howell’s 37 percent.
Plummer and Sanchez will now face each other in November to determine who succeeds outgoing Judge Lina Hidalgo.
– Harris County district clerk (Democratic runoff): Democratic voters selected their nominee for Harris County district clerk. Darrell Jordan Jr. defeated Jose “Alex” Maldonado, receiving 71 percent of the vote.
Jordan moves on to face Republican Chris Daniel in November.
State races
– Texas attorney general: Both parties voted for their nominee in the race for Texas attorney general.
Democrats: In the Democratic runoff, state Sen. Nathan Johnson defeated former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski, earning 61 percent of the vote.
Republicans: On the Republican side, state Sen. Mayes Middleton defeated U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, receiving 55 percent of the vote. Middleton and Johnson will compete in the November general election.
– Texas lieutenant governor (Democratic runoff): In the Democratic runoff for lieutenant governor, state Rep. Vikki Goodwin won the Democratic nomination, defeating Marcos Vélez with 68 percent of the vote.
Goodwin will face Republican incumbent Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in November.
Federal races
– U.S. Senate (Republican runoff): In the Republican runoff for U.S. Senate, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, winning 64 percent of the vote.
Paxton will face Democratic nominee James Talarico in the general election.
– 18th Congressional District (Democratic runoff): Christian Menefee defeated longtime U.S. Rep. Al Green, winning 70 percent of the vote in the newly redrawn district.
The 18th District has undergone significant upheaval in recent years following the death of U.S. Rep Sheila Jackson Lee in 2024.
Redistricting forced Green to leave the 9th District, which had been redrawn to become more Republican-leaning. Green, whose residence now falls within the 18th District, chose to run there instead.
Menefee was already serving as the 18th District’s congressman, having won a January special election following the death of U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, former Houston mayor.
The result was a rare incumbent‑vs‑incumbent primary in a district long considered a Democratic stronghold.
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