The city of Plano officially purchased its third shuttered school property in less than a month, marking another major step in how the city and school district are navigating changing demographics and enrollment trends.
At a June 23 Plano City Council meeting, the city approved the $8.1 million purchase of Armstrong Middle School from Plano ISD. Located at 3805 Timberline Drive, the nearly 18-acre campus closed in June 2024 after more than five decades of serving area students.
Earlier in June, the city acquired Davis and Forman Elementary Schools for a combined $8.4 million — roughly $3 million for Davis and $5.4 million for Forman.
But Armstrong’s purchase came with an added layer of complexity.
Deed Restriction Creates Issues
Armstrong wasn’t included in the original package of school sales due to a deed restriction on a 2.6-acre section in the campus’s southeast corner. That restriction mandates that the land be used specifically for a public school.
According to the city’s Real Estate Manager Matt Yager, the city plans to seek approval from at least 75% of nearby property owners to remove the restriction. If that effort fails, Plano hopes to renegotiate a lower purchase price for the encumbered land.
“It's been part of the discussions we've had with the district,” Yager said during a presentation to the council. “The anticipated course of action is to pursue the removal of that deed restriction, but if it's unable to be removed, we plan to negotiate for what the school district can pass on to the city.”
Why the Schools Closed
The closures of Armstrong, Carpenter Middle School and Davis and Forman Elementary Schools were approved by the Plano ISD Board of Trustees in June 2024, after years of enrollment decline. All four schools officially closed at the end of the 2024–25 school year.
Several long-term trends prompted the board’s unanimous decision. Plano ISD cited a rising cost of living, specifically an average home price of $584,000, as a barrier for young families. Combined with declining birth rates, the district has seen consistently shrinking class sizes. Carpenter, for example, had room for nearly 1,400 students but enrolled just 500.
Despite the closures, no district staff members were laid off. Programs housed at the closed campuses were relocated, including Davis’s Regional Day School Program for the Deaf. The district estimates it will save $5.2 million annually as a result of the closures.
What’s Next for These Properties?
While plans for the former Davis Elementary campus remain undecided, the city announced a new use for part of the Forman property. Three of the site’s 9.5 acres will be used to build a new Fire Station 3. The city has not yet determined what to do with the remaining land. Armstrong’s property is zoned for residential development.
Don't miss anything Local. Sign up for our free newsletter.
