This week the Keller ISD board will meet to discuss the possibility of splitting the district in two, potentially moving thousands of students into a newly created school district. Rumors about the move spread on social media this week before multiple board members confirmed the district is considering the action. Like many others, Fort Worth city councilman and Keller ISD parent Charlie Lauersdorf found out through social media. “Got directed to a Facebook post about it, and then learned about it from there,” said Lauersdorf, the District 4 representative on the Fort Worth City Council. Parents in Keller and north Fort Worth had been posting about a rumored split of Keller ISD into two districts. Lauersdorf said he immediately reached out to Keller ISD board members. “I found out that they are exploring the possibility of a split, you know, nothing was set in stone,” Lauersdorf said. This week, a Keller ISD board member confirmed on Facebook that the move was being considered. “The Keller ISD Board of Trustees will hold a special executive meeting on January 16 to discuss the possibility of reshaping our district,” said board president Charles Randklev. “School districts throughout our state are being faced with unprecedented challenges. As an example, neighboring districts are closing campuses, increasing class sizes and cutting programming.” “We refuse to accept this as our fate, and we will unapologetically fight for our students and staff,” Randklev continued. Two other Keller ISD board members shared concerns about the proposed move. “As a parent and resident, I am concerned that no public discussions or community engagement have taken place regarding this matter,” said Place 2 representative Joni Smith. “I’ve never had a discussion previously about splitting the district with another board member and, honestly, it was never even a thought that had crossed my mind.” Board member for Place 3 Chelsea Kelly shared similar concerns on Facebook. “It is our sincere hope that this board will pause this process and establish an orderly, transparent approach that prioritizes collaboration, community input, and careful consideration before any final decision is made,” said Kelly. “Personally, I don’t like finding out about something this large, that affects so many people, via rumors on Facebook,” said Lauersdorf. Lauersdorf told NBC 5 that this decision would impact more than 30,000 students in the district, and he wanted to know what the financial impact would be on the district and taxpayers. He plans on attending Thursday’s board meeting as a city leader – and as a concerned parent. “I mean, myself included, I’ve never gone through a situation where a school district was split, I don’t know what that looks like,” said Lauersdorf. “So I think there’s just so many questions.” Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker issued a statement on the proposal this week, writing in part, “based on the information I’ve gathered, I do not support a move to split Keller ISD, which would impact countless students and families. Ensuring every child has full access to a quality education should be the top priority for all decision makers. And like every decision regarding our kids and their education, it’s critical this discussion and process is given extremely careful thought.”