SUGAR LAND, Texas – For Erin Inman, Sugar Mill Elementary is the first place where her special-needs son finally feels comfortable going to school.
“He wants to be here,” Inman said. “And he’s never wanted to go to school before.”
Inman’s son is a second grader enrolled in a special education program. Before coming to Sugar Mill, she says he had already attended six different schools, each placement ending in frustration and uncertainty.
“We were about to pull him out of school completely and homeschool him,” she said. “Not because we wanted to, but because nothing else was working.”
Then they found Sugar Mill Elementary.
A school that finally worked
Sugar Mill Elementary School is an A-rated campus located inside a residential Sugar Land neighborhood. While many students who live nearby walk to campus each day, Inman drives her son from a few neighborhoods away so he can attend the special education program offered at the school.
For her family, the extra commute has been worth it.
“This school changed him,” she said. “And it changed us.”
For the first time, Inman says there were no daily phone calls from school, no constant fear that her son wasn’t coping.
“He feels safe here. He feels successful here,” she said.
A proposed closure shakes families
That sense of stability is now at risk, not just for Inman, but hundreds of other families.
Fort Bend Independent School District is considering closing several schools as part of a consolidation plan, including Sugar Mill Elementary.
Inman says she first learned of the proposal through an email, then began searching for more information online and through social media.
“I was shocked and completely heartbroken,” she said.
Parents say the district has cited enrollment and rezoning considerations, but many argue the explanation feels vague, especially for a school that is academically strong and deeply rooted in its neighborhood.
“This isn’t a low-performing school,” Inman said. “This is an A-rated school that goes above and beyond.”
A neighborhood school — by design
Sugar Mill Elementary sits in the middle of a residential area, and parents say that location is special. Many students walk to school each morning, building relationships with crossing guards, security staff, and neighbors along the way.
Parents say those daily routines help create pride and connection, something they fear would be lost if students are rezoned to campuses farther away.
Under the proposed changes, families say walking would no longer be an option for most students, forcing them onto buses or into car lines.
“I don’t know how many of them are going to get to school,” Inman said.
“We bought our homes for this school”
The potential closure has also raised concerns about housing decisions families made years ago.
Other parents telling KPRC 2 they purchased their homes specifically so their children could attend Sugar Mill Elementary, trusting the school’s reputation, location, and programs. Inman, saying her family is in the process of moving closer to the school.
Now, these families say they feel blindsided.
“We finally felt like we could put down roots,” Inman said. “And now everything is on pause.”
She says her own family had begun considering long-term housing plans once they felt confident her son had found the right school.
Parents push back as clock ticks
Parents are now organizing, reaching out to trustees, and encouraging others to speak up.
Inman says she’s been asking teachers how families can contact decision-makers and is urging parents to share their stories.
“This isn’t about numbers,” she said. “It’s about the lives of these kids and their families.”
Fort Bend ISD has not made a final decision. Parents say they have approximately three months before the school board is expected to vote on the proposed closures.
Until then, families, like the Inmans, say they’ll continue pushing to be heard, hoping the district reconsiders before stability is lost once again.
“This school is part of this neighborhood,” Inman said. “And for families like mine, it’s everything.”
Another parent’s perspective: Brad Stevens
Not all families see the draft plans the same way. Brad Stevens, whose children attend a school that would receive students from closing campuses, says his main concerns center on class sizes and quality of education.
“The biggest concerns are class size and how that’s going to impact their education,” Stevens said. “Not just my kids, but a lot of other kids who may need more attention. And then also the workload for the teachers.”
Stevens estimates his children’s school would see a nearly 90% increase in student population if consolidation occurs.
“I think more kids could be added comfortably, maybe 15 to 20 percent, but I just can’t imagine doubling class size or even 50 percent more,” he said. “That could make the classroom chaotic and impact learning.”
He also raises questions about staff decisions: “With consolidation, they may have to make staff cuts. Which teachers stay? How are those decisions made? On tenure or quality?”
Stevens’ family did not choose their home based on school district boundaries, but he worries that changes could influence other families’ decisions.
“This could encourage some parents to look elsewhere, whether it be online education, private schools, or even moving,” he said.
He plans to attend the next board meeting to stay informed and voice concerns.
Fort Bend ISD response
In a statement, Fort Bend Independent School District said it is still in the draft phase of its Long-Range Boundary Planning process.
The district said the Board of Trustees has been presented with draft attendance boundary plans only, and no decisions have been made or approved regarding school closures, consolidations, timelines, staffing, class sizes, or facility use at any campus, including Sugar Mill Elementary.
Fort Bend ISD said because the plans are drafts, it would be premature to provide specific details. The district said draft plans were shared to promote transparency and help the community understand the current status of the work.
According to the district, in January 2026, the community will have an opportunity to review proposed boundary scenarios and provide feedback before any final recommendations are considered.
If proposals move forward, Fort Bend ISD said it will communicate next steps, timelines, and potential impacts clearly and in alignment with Board direction.
Waiting — and watching closely
For now, families like the Inmans are waiting, and watching.
They say the coming months are critical, and they plan to stay engaged throughout the process, hoping their voices are heard before any final decision is made.
“This school gave my son something we couldn’t find anywhere else,” Inman said. “We just want the district to listen before it’s taken away.”