Will Dallas ISD Turn to Charter Schools to Avoid the State's Accountability Hammer?

Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa wants to close down two schools and convert two others to charter schools to avoid harsh punishment from the state for their poor performance.He declined to say which of the four failing campuses would be closed or change under his plan, which will be presented to trustees at a Nov. 2 board meeting.Hinojosa knows the decision to close a campus is difficult and emotional, but he said DISD needs to take action before the state does.There are three Dallas ISD campuses that have failed to meet state academic standards five years in a row: Edward Titche Elementary in Pleasant Grove, Thomas Edison Middle Learning Center and C.F. Carr Elementary School. J.W. Ray Learning Center has failed four years consecutively.If one of those schools misses the mark again this year, that would force Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath to either close down the campus or replace the entire school board and superintendent.“If I take a chance and they don’t make it, something is going to happen in August,” Hinojosa said of the failing schools. He added, “We’re not running from the accountability. We have something great we went to replace it with.”  Continue reading...