WICHITA FALLS ( KFDX/KJTL ) — In August 2023, the Harrell Center was still standing. But one night, a downburst caused severe damage to the building, forcing the district to relocate its DAEP students.

That change proved permanent, as, according to Superintendent Dr. Donny Lee, the damage and underlying issues the building faced were too costly for the district to repair.

“We had asbestos, mold and a lot of those types of things occurred in the building,” Dr. Lee said. “So, in essence, it would cost us more to fix it than what it’s worth.”

With the building in disrepair, the students in the WFISD Discipline Alternative Education Program relocated to the Farris Building.

Before the Harrell Center took on the students in DAEP, it served as an elementary school, and then, Dr. Lee said, Harrell helped at-risk students graduate on time.

“So if they were at risk of failing for a number of reasons, it could be behavior. It could be like I said, discipline, grades, teen pregnancy, a number of these things,” Dr. Lee said. “The students could go to the Harrell School, and they could graduate early and graduate with their peers.”

Once the Harrell Center is demolished, the WFISD will still own the land, and it remains to be seen what will replace it.

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