Willis Independent School District

The Willis Independent School District is a public school district based in Willis, Texas, United States.

Willis Independent School District
Address
204 W Rogers St Willis , Texas, 77378 United States
District information
Type	Public
Motto	One Team, One Purpose
Grades	PK–12
Superintendent	Kimberley James
Governing agency	Texas Education Agency
Schools	11
NCES District ID	4845900[1]
Students and staff
Enrollment	8,793 (2022–2023)[1]
Teachers	488.31 (on an FTE basis)
Student–teacher ratio	18.01
Other information
Website	www.willisisd.org

Located in Montgomery County, the district extends into a portion of San Jacinto County. The cities of Willis and Panorama Village and a small northern portion of the city of Conroe are within WISD.

For the 2021–2022 school year, the district received a "C" from the Texas Education Agency.

History

In 1881 the citizens of Willis, Texas contracted a college building. When final payments were made in 1884, the title was passed to Rev. and MRs. S. N. Barker, who opened Willis Male and Female College in September 1885. In 1890, the location was sold to F.P. Crow and C.H. Stovall, who operated the college for 4 years. In 1894 the college was briefly sold to Cyril M. Jansky and Marion Kiline before operations were returned to Crow. The college was officially closed in 1901 after being sold to the public schools of Willis County.^[2]

Effective September 10, 1906, a public school was opened in the building, marking the beginning of the Willis Independent School District.^[3]

There have been a total of three different Willis High Schools. In 1939, the first Willis High School was built. It became the Cargill Education Support Center sometime after 1944 when it was replaced by a new campus now called Lynn Lucas Middle School. The second Willis High School was then replaced by the current and third Willis High School in 1995^[4]

Sometime after 1995, C.C. Hardy Middle School was turned into C.C. Hardy Elementary School.^[5][6]

In 2001, three new board members took their positions.^[7]

In 2013, an individual sued the district in federal court, accusing it of ignoring a teacher sex abuse case.^[8]

Academics

For each school year, the Texas Education Agency rates school district performance using an A–F grading system based on statistical data. For the 2021–2022 school year, the district received a score of 76 out of 100, resulting in a "C".^[9]

Bonds

The district has done multiple bonds for additional schools and improvements to the district and current schools.

Bond 2015

In 2015, the Willis ISD board of trustees approved a bond that addressed concerns about the district's future growth at no tax increase.^[10] Willis ISD community members voted on November 3, 2015 to approve the bond which included a new elementary school (Eddie Ruth Lagway Elementary School), an expansion to Brabham Middle School, new field turf for Yates Stadium at Lynn Lucas Middle School, driveway improvements at four campuses, and land purchases. There were also renovations and additions to Willis High School, which included a new agricultural science center, a new performing arts center, and a new career & technology education center.^[11] The new auditorium would replace the districts only auditorium at Lynn Lucas Middle School. There were also other additions to the high school, including expanding the choir and band areas.^[12]

Bond 2020

In 2020, the Willis ISD board of trustees approved a bond consisting of three propositions that each addressed concerns about the district's future growth.^[13][14] The vote was originally slated for May, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was delayed to November. The original bond, however, was canceled, and was replaced with a new bond which only included Proposition A of the original bond but with no tax increase.^[15] Willis ISD community members voted in the 2020 general election to approve Proposition A which included an expansion to Lynn Lucas Middle School, a new Pre-kindergarten center (Roark Early Education Center), additions to the gymnasiams of the elementary schools (excluding C. C. Hardy Elementary School), and other renovations to all of the campuses.^[16]

Bond 2022

In 2022, the Willis ISD board of trustees approved a bond consisting of three propositions that each addressed concerns about the district's future growth.^[17] Willis ISD community members voted on May 7, 2022 to approve Proposition A which included a new middle school (Calfee Middle School), a new elementary school, and a fine arts expansion to Lynn Lucas Middle School, upgrades to playground equipment, synthetic turf at Willis High School baseball and softball fields, and future land purchases. All this totaled to around 143 million dollars. The rest of the propositions were denied.^[18]

Bond 2024

Results for disapproval of all the proposals of the bond from the 2024 general election.^[a]

In 2024, the Willis ISD board of trustees approved a bond consisting of four propositions that each addressed concerns about the district's future growth.^[19] Willis ISD community members voted in May to approve Proposition A to build a 9th-grade expansion to the high school, parking lot upgrades to the high school, and a new district transportation center. The rest of the propositions were denied.^[20] In the 2024 general election, the failed propositions were reconsidered but were rejected.^[21]

Schools

High Schools

• Grades 9-12
  • Willis High School – located in Unincorporated Montgomery County (opened 1996)^[4]

Middle Schools

• Grades 6-8
  • Robert P. Brabham Middle – School located in Unincorporated Montgomery County (opened 2004)^[22]
  • Lynn Lucas Middle School – located in Willis (opened as Willis High School)
  • Calfee Middle School – located in Conroe (opens 2025)^[23]

Elementary Schools

• Grades K-5
  • Edward B. Cannan Elementary School – located in Willis (opened 2004 or earlier)^{[citation needed]}
  • C. C. Hardy Elementary School – located in Willis (opened 1983 as C. C. Hardy Middle School)^[5]
  • Mel Parmley Elementary School – located in Willis (opened as Willis Elementary School)^[4]
  • A. R. Turner Elementary School – located in Unincorporated Montgomery County
    • It was named after an African-American school principal. The first Turner ES, a twelve-room building then only for black students, opened in 1956.^[24]
  • William Lloyd Meador Elementary School l ocated in Willis (opened 2008)^[25]
  • Eddie Ruth Lagway Elementary School – located in Willis (opened 2021)^[26]
• Elementary no 7 (opening 2026)

Other schools

• Roark Early Education Center – a school for Pre-kindergarten – located in Willis (opened 2021)
• Stubblefield Alternative Academy – a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program – located in Willis

The district also participates in the Montgomery County JJAEP alternative education program, which is operated by Montgomery County in partnership with Conroe Independent School District.^[27]

Notes

1. The results for San Jacinto County are not included in this image.