North Texas
(2009-03-12)
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Bill Zeeble, KERA reporter: Of the district's dozen unacceptable campuses, Spruce and Samuell High Schools face a 5th straight failing year. State law says the Texas Education Agency could shut them down if test scores don't rise. Should that happen, students would be dispersed to other schools. DISD could create a NEW school. But Superintendent Michael Hinojosa says state law won't let students from a failed facility be grouped together again.
Michael Hinojosa, DISD Superintendent: The people that are coming in can't be from the feeder. They want it to be a new school. Those are the rules. We have to have a recruitment plan to recruit kids to come to this school.
Zeeble: School officials are considering several options that have worked elsewhere, or hold promise. One would create a high school for 9th and 10th graders, and a high school for 11th and 12th graders. A second option would create an all male high school and another all female school. But Board President Jack Lowe says deadlines create a problem.
J-Lowe: You know. Here we're talking about recruiting people from somewhere else in 2 months that sign up at Samuell and Spruce. It isn't going to happen. Maybe the sun will come up in the West in the morning, but I'm not going to bet on it.
Zeeble: If test scores rise, Hinojosa says Samuell and Spruce high schools won't be forced to close. But he's not sure enough students will pass to keep the schools open.
Hinojosa: The numbers don't lie. The increases are significant that they have to make this year.
Zeeble: Spruce Principal Lucy Hakemack believes this time, students get it, and will succeed.
Principal Hakemack: Nobody's held their feet to the fire. They haven't taken it seriously. So they're doing better.
Zeeble: Test scores won't be known until May. Bill Zeeble KERA news
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