By Bill Zeeble, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-901860.mp3
Dallas, TX – The Dallas Independent School District plans two new schools for over-age students beginning next year. The move created friction between the administration and some trustees. KERA's Bill Zeeble has more.
The need has been growing. 500-600 DISD students are at risk of dropping out because they're either repeating a grade or entering the district lacking the education necessary for their age. The problem increases when there's a 2 year difference between the student's age and her grade: in other words, a 14 year old in 6th grade, when he should be in 8th. The DISD wants to turn Fridia high school into Fridia middle school for over-age students. Manns high school would take over-age high schoolers. Board member Nancy Bingham likes the idea.
Bingham: This offers a lot of students a lot of hope who otherwise wouldn't have an opportunity & we would lose them to dropout
Trustee Bernadette Nutall favors the idea too, but leaerned of it Thursday, a day after teachers at Fridia heard of it. She was livid.
Nutall: Like I tell my daughters, don't do nothing to me you don't want done to you. What ya'll did was unacceptable, unprofessional to me. Come in to make announcement of what's coming down then present it to us. Totally unprofessional. But you want us to accept it. Basically the plan is in action, the train is rolling, rubber stamp because you've already done all you're going to do.
Superintendent Michael Hinojosa defended the move. He said this is an idea trustees have discussed for years, will cost no extra money, while all contracted teachers will keep their jobs.
Hinojosa: Who do we talk to first. Board or staff? None of this is easy or comfortable, but if we lose thie opportunity we wait another 12 mos before we startan over age middle school. Every year we lose 350 is another critical year.
The 2 schools for over-age students would handle up to 600 students, combined, and would open next year.