Texas school district to shut down

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A Texas school district and three charter schools lost their accreditation status today and are expected to close by July 1.

The Texas Education Agency approved almost all districts or charters under review, issuing full accreditation status to 97% of them. The almost 1,200 entities that received full accreditation were rated as academically acceptable or better.

Kendleton Independent School District, Jean Massieu Academy in Arlington, Alphonso Crutch’s Life Support Center in Houston and Texas Preparatory School in San Marcos, however, will have their state accreditation revoked for poor academic or financial performance.

This is the first time a district or charter has lost its status as a public school under the accreditation system implemented in 2006.

Twenty districts or charters in total received a status below the accredited level but just four must shut down. 11 received accredited- warned status and five received accredited- probation status. The accreditation of 14 entities remains pending due to ongoing investigation.

If any of the two districts or three charters schools given probation status this year receives a poor rating in the future, it could have its accreditation revoked.

The TEA system rates districts and charters as accredited, accredited-warned, accredited-probation and not accredited- revoked.

A district or charter with revoked accreditation may challenge the decision.