Staley Update
The Frisco ISD Board of Trustees is considering the future of Staley Middle School.
In a presentation at the Board’s regular March meeting, District staff shared information about Staley’s history and options for the campus moving forward.
As a result of declining enrollment both at Staley and districtwide, and the significant infrastructure investment needed for Staley improvements, staff are recommending that the campus be retired at the end of this school year or the next.
Building history
Staley Middle School operates in the former Frisco High School, built in 1973. The school was completely renovated in 1996 to become Staley, and Frisco High moved to its current location on Stonebrook Parkway and the Dallas North Tollway.
In 2003, carpet and paint were replaced building-wide. Between 2006 and 2015, Staley underwent regular system maintenance and replacements, including a new cooling tower (2006), updated fire alarms (2007), lighting (2008), a domestic boiler (2013), hydronic boiler and fire suppression (2015) and geothermal heat pumps (2016).
In 2017, carpet and paint were replaced building-wide again. In 2019, the building received an interior and exterior LED lighting retrofit.
These updates and replacements were made in addition to regular repair projects that take place when maintenance is notified.
2018 bond program
An $8 million Staley refresh was included in the voter-approved 2018 bond program.
Staley was set to be refreshed after other campuses in the bond — Curtinsger, Smith, Christie and Anderson elementaries — because it had just undergone paint and carpet replacement in 2017.
The work planned for Staley’s refresh was cosmetic — paint, carpet, tile, restrooms, a more prominent front entrance and LED lighting (which was later completed in 2019). In 2022, District leaders engaged an architecture firm to reimagine the Staley renovation to incorporate the types of future-ready learning spaces that are more common at newer campuses. At the same time, $12 million was added to the Staley renovation, bringing the total project budget to $20 million.
During the design phase of the Staley renovation, the district discovered that the required improvements exceeded the available funding. The cast iron plumbing beneath the building needed full replacement — a project that would take approximately two years and require relocating students and staff to other schools.
The plan was paused in 2023 due to the plumbing needs, and a Bond Exploration Committee made up of community members, parents and staff began considering a new campus for Staley.
In 2024, that new building was included in Proposition B of the bond program, which voters rejected.
Post-bond evaluation
Frisco ISD conducted a community survey in December and January, seeking voter input on the results of the 2024 election.
Rebuilding Staley was a polarizing project for voters. Those who voted for Proposition B agreed or strongly agreed on the need for a new Staley campus, while those who voted against Proposition B disagreed or strongly disagreed the new campus was needed.
Considerations for the future
Two key points are under consideration as Trustees decide the future of Staley in the wake of the bond’s failure: demographics and renovation challenges.
As recently as the 2022-23 school year, Frisco ISD was growing by more than 1,000 students a year. For the first time in decades, after a sudden plateau in 2023-24, demographers have changed their forecast for Frisco ISD to show a decline in enrollment.
FISD expects to lose 1,000 students per year for the next three to five years. In three years, FISD expects to have 980 fewer middle schoolers — one full middle school.
Renovating Staley comes with its own challenges. A plumbing replacement would cost $7 million to $10 million, half the existing budget for campus renovations. The updates could also take 18-30 months, displacing students and staff.
Recommendations
As a result of declining enrollment both at Staley and districtwide, and the significant infrastructure investment needed for Staley improvements, Frisco ISD staff recommend that Staley Middle School be retired at the end of 2024-25 or 2025-26 and students transition to nearby middle schools.
A comprehensive transition plan will be presented to the Board in April based on community feedback.
All staff in good standing will be guaranteed a position.
All student course requests and extracurricular programming will be honored at their new campus.
What’s next
Frisco ISD requests community feedback on the future of Staley Middle School.
Email concerns or questions to feedback@friscoisd.org
Trustees are expected to vote on recommendations at their regular monthly Board meeting April 14 at 6:30 p.m.