Updated 08/05/2009 06:37 AM
State approves Pearce MS repurposing plan
The Texas Education Agency granted Austin Independent School District's request to repurpose Pearce Middle School after the TEA closed it last month due to low performance.
AISD chose a repurposing plan with a strong focus on quality instruction that will cater to the individual needs of students.
To view a copy of the TEA letter to Superintendent Carstaphen click here
The Commissioner of Education, Robert Scott, strongly encouraged the district to have partnerships with tutoring and mentoring programs for the students.
He also advised that AISD and Pearce Middle School team up with the Texas Turnaround Center to give the new administration access to full support.
In a letter to AISD Superintendent Meria Carstarphen, the TEA said the school would be repurposed, with continuing state oversight and four specific conditions.
- AISD must assemble new administrative and teaching teams. Although, the TEA has allowed for a case by case review of the 75 percent requirement of instructional staff being removed for teachers who did not teach a subject that resulted in the academically unacceptable rating.
- The management team previously assigned to AISD will maintain the same authority over the campus.
- Students wishing to transfer from Pearce Middle School will not be allowed to transfer to another school that has been rated academically unacceptable, including Lamar Middle School and Martin Middle School.
- The district must implement the plan submitted with a focus on recruiting the highest quality administrative team and effective faculty. The management team will be required to report to the TEA on a regular basis to detail progress.
The school is on schedule to be opened in the fall.
We are, naturally, pleased with, and thankful for, Commissioner’s Scott’s letter this afternoon, approving our plan to reopen Pearce Middle School.
The Commissioner said he was “granting the district’s request to repurpose the facility, subject to state oversight.” (Full letter attached.) We have worked closely with the Texas Education Agency staff over the past few weeks, and I am grateful for the support that we have received from the Pearce community to move the proposal forward.
This doesn’t mean there won’t be challenges ahead. Opening a fully-staffed school — with strong campus leadership and high quality teachers — on August 24 is critical to Pearce’s success. We will offer incentives; some very dedicated educators will take on the challenge. The research shows that the effectiveness of the classroom teacher is the most important factor in student success, and that the effectiveness of the school leader is critical to school success. We have to keep focused on what’s best for these students.
I want to thank the AISD Board of Trustees and the Pearce community, including students, parents and staff, for their faith in me as the new
Superintendent. In our crucial July 15 meeting at the campus, the Pearce
community gave AISD the go-ahead to develop a repurposing proposal and to negotiate that plan with TEA in order to keep Pearce open. The community gave us the space we needed to keep Pearce open and to come up with a plan that will serve Pearce students well.
I pledge that, with today’s approval of our plan, this partnership will not end. This Administration will continue to meet with the Pearce community to discuss full implementation of this plan throughout the school year. I also want to assure Pearce parents that, at Monday night’s Board meeting, we clearly heard about the support services you want to help ensure your children’s academic success.
Our challenges at Pearce are not isolated to that school—as Austinites, we all live in the Pearce community. Once this school year is underway, I commit to engaging in future conversations with the entire Austin community, so that we can discuss together how we can take all the schools and students of Austin to high levels of academic performance. We need to hold deep conversations about systemic academic improvements, working to make sure our chronically underperforming schools turn around, and that we support our successful schools too.
Implementation of a Comprehensive Strategic Plan, including academics, that matches this mindset is crucial, and will be the subject of all District planning this school year, and in the future.
Source: AISD Office of the Superintendent