The big picture
SISD’s Disciplinary Alternative Education Program, Richey Academy, will be renamed the Spring Empowerment Academy, and the program will no longer be outsourced to national discipline education firm Specialized Education Services Inc., according to an April 4 presentation from the district. School districts are required to provide DAEPs for students to temporarily be removed from classroom settings due to disciplinary reasons, according to the Texas Education Agency’s website.
“It’s going to be grounded in our instructional programs that will aim to increase our students’ instructional opportunities but, most importantly, also improve their transition experiences and focus on the whole [child’s] needs,” said Kregg Cuellar, chief of academics and school leadership.
SISD trustees discussed the changes April 4, approving them under April 9’s consent agenda, which consists of multiple items voted on in one motion.
According to presentation materials, the new program will:
- Have increased capacity from 120 student seats to 180 student seats
- Be run by 20 staff versus 16 staff at Richey Academy
The in-house program will cost about $1.46 million to run annually, which is a cost savings of about $141 annually, according to April 4 presentation materials. However, the price of running the academy is less per student at about $8,089 per student, compared to $12,135 per student at Richey Academy.
The total cost of running the in-house academy includes:
- $58,500 annually for total operations cost, compared to $338,350 for Richey Academy
- $1.4 million annually for personnel versus $1.1 million for Richey Academy
- Facility operating costs and vendor liability insurance costs incorporated into the district's operating costs, saving $28,000 in Richey Academy expenses
“The more that we are doing stuff on our own and doing things in the [SISD] way, the better for our students, especially the students that have run into some challenges. ... They need more attention from us,” board Vice President Winford Adams said on April 4.
The timeline
According to presentation materials, the timeline for the new in-house program will be:
- April-June: Hire the school’s principal and staff; obtain needed program resources
- June-July: Plan academic and emotional support; create schedules; hold professional development for employees
- August 2024-May 2025: Open the program for students; monitor student progress monthly; make adjustments as needed
