Houston ISD to close numerous campuses which could take the mold of charters

A crossing guard watches children an other cross the street outside Bayless Elementary School Friday, Dec. 17, 2010, in Wilbur Park, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Houston Independent School District (HISD) is announcing plans to close 15 of its sites and possibly repurpose them as charter schools.

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Reddit user houstonisdwatch posted the information to the forum, saying the district plans to announce the proposal to the public in early February.

The campuses will reportedly start with only a few grade levels and build up enrollment from there; students currently attending the schools would be moved to other campuses if the plan proceeds.

https://twitter.com/HISD_Parents/status/954777837692649482

According to the Houston Chronicle, HISD is struggling to adapt in the face of budget shortfalls and the effect of Hurricane Harvey on campuses and enrollment.

HISD officials say around $200 million will need to be cut from its operating budget for the 2108-19 school year.

The cuts are the result of expected declines in enrollment and property value coupled with a state-mandated payment system, which requires higher property value districts to “share the wealth” by sending a portion of tax dollars to the state, according to the Chronicle.

HISD has ten campuses marked as “Improvement Required,” or IR, and some of those sites would be turned into charters under the proposed plan. If their performance does not improve, the state will take over their administration.

The plan to make several of its sites charters is seen as part of the plan to improve performance. Public reaction to charters is usually mixed, and this is no exception.

Early comments on the Reddit thread range from supportive to accusing the new HISD superintendent of a cop-out that shuffles “problem” students to other campuses.

Campuses listed to become charters, according to the original thread, include Kashmere High School, Blackshear Elementary and several other district sites.

HISD’s school board is scheduled to meet on the matter at the beginning of February, and start holding community meetings Feb. 26. The board is scheduled to vote on the matter on March 8.

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What do you think?

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