SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Independent School District Board of Trustees has voted to renew charters for 18 schools in SAISD, a press release said Monday.
Three schools were approved for five-year renewal terms, 12 schools were approved for four-year renewal terms, and three campuses were renewed on three-year probationary contracts, the district announced.
“We have a commitment to ongoing community engagement, and to not only continue what we’re doing but to also get better,” said John Norman, SAISD Chief Strategy Officer. “We are going to make sure that annual performance reviews have family and student focus groups. We are going to begin renewal activities much earlier in the spring prior to the school’s renewal year.”
SAISD said Briscoe Elementary, Harris Middle School and Ogden Elementary School were approved for five-year renewals.
The press release said trustees requested and received input from parents and the community throughout a renewal process, in the forms of surveys and town hall meetings.
The district approved 12 in-district charter schools for four-year renewals. They are:
- Advanced Learning Academy
- Ball Elementary School
- Bowden Academy
- Burbank High School
- CAST Tech High School
- Democracy Prep at Stewart Academy
- Fenwick Academy
- Gates Elementary School
- Jefferson High School
- Lamar Elementary School
- Storm Elementary School
- Young Women’s Leadership Academy
The Board of Trustees reviews performance analytics provided by the SAISD Office of Innovation annually, the press release said.
Huppertz Elementary School, Woodlawn Academy and Woodlawn Hills Elementary School were all approved for three-year probationary renewals.
“Each school on probationary renewal must submit a comprehensive plan that includes metrics and goals to address the areas where they fell short on their outcomes in line with the goals we set,” Norman said.
Previously, six SAISD in-district schools had their charters revoked. Those schools will retain their charter for the remainder of the 2022-23 school year and then in the fall of 2023, the schools will not be under charter contracts as they enter the new school year as district campuses.
“After hearing from the results of the community engagement, we voted to revoke those charters,” said Board Secretary Art Valdez. “But rest assured, these SAISD schools will see minimal impact. These are great neighborhood schools, and we will continue to support them.”
Barkley-Ruiz Elementary School, Carroll Early Childhood Education Center, Davis Middle School, Hawthorne Academy, Martin Luther King Academy and Tynan Early Childhood Education Center all saw their charters revoked.
For some of those schools, the campuses did not wish to implement the charter programs, the district said.