Fifth Bad Rating Could Force State Hands On Three Austin Schools
Pecan Springs, Linder and Dobie carry four consecutive unacceptable ratings, and a fifth would trigger state intervention.
By Giulia Marshall ·
Austin ISD is preparing to hand management of Pecan Springs Elementary, Linder Elementary and Dobie Middle School to an outside nonprofit operator if student growth data falls short by a state deadline in March. Each of the three campuses has drawn four unacceptable accountability ratings; a fifth would require intervention by the Texas Education Agency.
The district is opening a Call for Quality Schools in November to identify organizations interested in running the campuses. Austin ISD would then review student progress data from January through February to judge whether the turnaround plans now in place have moved test results far enough. If the data show sufficient progress, the partnership search ends for that campus. If not, the process continues.
A partnership under state law known as 1882 would pause accountability ratings for two years while a nonprofit operator works on academic performance. The arrangement also unlocks state money directed at improvement work. The Texas Education Agency must approve any partner the district selects.
The Austin ISD Board of Trustees would vote on a partner in March, and the application for 1882 benefits is due to the Texas Education Agency at the end of that month. The district says it is meeting with each affected community now to share the timeline and gather input on what residents want in an operator. A feedback form stays open through Nov. 9, and the responses will feed into partner selection.
The district says it expects the turnaround plans already running at all three schools to produce growth this year, and that starting the search now gives it a fallback if the March data does not reflect enough improvement.
Austin ISD is one of the larger districts in Texas, and the 1882 program exists to keep troubled campuses under local control rather than state management by pairing them with a charter or nonprofit operator for a fixed term. Dobie Middle School serves grades 6 through 8, while Pecan Springs and Linder are elementary campuses.
The Call for Quality Schools opens in November. Student progress data is reviewed in January and February, a board vote on any partner is scheduled for March, and the state application is due at the end of March.
