AISD will not appeal Pearce's closure

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Facing a Tuesday deadline to file an appeal with the Texas Education Agency,  the Austin Independent School District decided not to appeal the state's decision to close Pearce Middle School. 

"We understand they are not going to request one which makes perfect sense," said Debbie Ratcliffe with the Texas Education Agency Communications Department. "This decision is based on five years of accountability ratings and they had the opportunity to appeal those along the way."

This after the Texas Education Agency ordered the closure of the school - because students failed to pass the TAKS tests for five straight years.

Northeast Austin community members have spent the last two weeks fighting to keep Pearce Middle School open.

School district officials said they are putting a plan together now to repurpose the school. They are hoping they will be able to open the school this August but if it does open, it will come with some big changes. However, the school could keep its name.

Tuesday was the last day Austin Independent School District had to file an appeal or request for review to keep Pearce open. School district officials said they believe their best chance to get the school open in August is by filing a repurposing proposal.

"Our superintendent is working with TEA and community to try to put together a plan and that's based on the progress made this year," said Mark Williams, AISD Board of Trustees President.

Parents said the last two weeks have been hard on their kids.

"I kept him away from the TV as much as I could," said Nancy Tolbert, parent. "Whenever the news came about the school closing Pearce. He's a seventh-grade student this year, an honor roll student, he's in the band, so he doesn't want to go to another school."

Over the last two weeks parents, teachers and even legislators came together for meetings and rallies to keep Pearce Middle School open.

"The next step really is about trying to work with the community and TEA primarily on a repurposing plan that we can come together on that will meet the needs of students and keep a school in that community," said Williams.

If the repurposing proposal is approved by the TEA, the school would open with a new principal.

About 75 percent of the teachers would have to be replaced and 50 percent of the students would have to be new. However, the TEA believes students who want to stay at the school should be able to.

"Your eighth graders graduated so that's a third of your population right there they can count students who transferred out," said Ratcliffe.

AISD has already submitted a plan to repurpose the school but there are still many questions that need to be addressed before the TEA will approve it, like:

1. Where will the students that leave Pearce go?
2. How will good teachers be recruited and retained?
3. How will the plan improve students’ attendance?
4. What are the new programs they plan to implement in order to recruit more students?

AISD has until the first day of school to answer those questions for the TEA.