Austin ISD plans to begin a community engagement process regarding future use of the former Allan Elementary School campus, which closed for the 2013–14 school year.
During its Sept. 23 work session, the AISD board of trustees discussed potential options and reached a consensus that the district should work with local organization Austin Voices, which has helped the school district conduct community engagement about other issues in the past, to gain public feedback on how to use the Allan campus. After that, depending on the type of project the board approves, the design process could take several months, and funding would have to come from the district's maintenance and operations budget, according to board documents.
Trustee Jayme Mathias asked AISD Superintendent Meria Carstarphen whether it would be possible to reopen the campus as a school in the 2014–15 school year.
"It's unlikely, but depending on what it is, you know, I guess it could be possible," Carstarphen said, noting it would depend largely on the programming design for such a school and adding she is unsure whether the necessary public engagement could fit into an 11-month time frame.
Carstarphen said the district will coordinate with Austin Voices on starting the community engagement process as soon as the organization has the capacity.
Options
At its May 13 work session, the board discussed several options for the campus, including leasing it to an external entity, using for internal administrative staff, and renovating it for potential academic programs in the 2014–15 school year. The board had discussed possibly using the campus as the site of a school for young men, a dual language middle school or a center for career and technical education.
On Sept. 23, the board continued its discussion of potential uses, and Trustee Lori Moya said she hopes the board will provide the community with "as many options for consideration as possible," citing examples such as an academic design focused on information technology or a school educating students with dyslexia.
Trustee Amber Elenz pointed out there are about 8,500 students in AISD dealing with dyslexia issues, and noted the University of Texas' university charter was recently approved to open a new charter school targeted at dyslexic students.
Board President Vincent Torres said as the board looks to determine academic programming for a potential school at the Allan campus, it should also consider the academic design being developed at Eastside Memorial High School with Talent Development Secondary, a program of Johns Hopkins University. He noted a focus on science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, has been one identified area of interest there.
Background
On Dec. 17, 2012, the AISD board voted to terminate the district's contract with IDEA Public Schools, effective at the end of the 2012–13 school year. The board directed the superintendent to work with the board and community to plan for the future of the former Allan Elementary School community.
At its Feb. 23, 2013 special meeting, the board directed the administration not to open the Allan campus in 2013–14 and in April said it would decline any offer by IDEA to lease the Allan facility for the 2013-14 school year.
Since then, IDEA reopened IDEA Allan Academy and IDEA Allan College Prep at a temporary location in Southwest Austin while it looks for a permanent home.
Earlier this year, the district initiated its facility master planning process and completed contracts with consultants such as Austin Voices and Johns Hopkins University to include work for community engagement around the EMHS community.
The board plans to continue its discussion about future use of the Allan campus at another meeting.
