AISD speeds up plan for failing schools

AUSTIN (KXAN) - According to her latest blog post , the Austin school district superintendent is calling every parent from Garcia and Pearce Middle Schools to tell them about drastic campus changes now on the fast track.

By the looks of preliminary student test results, the two East Austin schools will receive an "unacceptable" rating from the state when official rankings are released at the end of July. Superintendent Meria Carstarphen said Pearce Middle School will "definitely" be deemed "academically unacceptable."

This will mark the fifth time in six years the struggling campus has received the failing grade. For Garcia, it is the third time in four years.

"It was actually a shock to me because I never thought that was coming from Gus Garcia Middle School," said Sandra Hernandez whose daughter is going into the eighth grade. "So far Garcia has been a good school. No complaints at all whatsoever."

After a school is rated "unacceptable" three years, the state requires a rescue plan to be put into action. Carstarphen said AISD will do what they did at Pearce last year -- they will keep incoming sixth graders at their elementary schools to concentrate on seventh and eighth graders while they work on turning the campus into an early college prep academy.

"I'm not really looking forward to it because it's a big change for the students, but if it's going to benefit them in the long run and help out the school, go for it," said Hernandez.

The superintendent is moving the principal from the Ann Richards School over to Pearce. The overall goal is to improve student success not only at the middle schools, but also at the high schools the students feed into -- Reagan and LBJ.

In her blog, the superintendent said the district believes the changes will provide a "significant jumpstart for the students."