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Three single-sex schools are in the works for Austin ISD in the 2014–15 school year following two board of trustees votes Jan. 28.
Two separate options were proposed for AISD—one was for a college preparatory school for young men, and the other was for a new District 1 design that would convert two existing coed middle schools into single-sex schools. The board was required to take action on both of the recommendations at its Jan. 28 meeting, according to board President Vincent Torres.
Pearce, Garcia to transition to single-sex schools
The board voted 5–3 in favor of the recommendation that will turn Pearce and Garcia middle schools into two single-sex schools in District 1, one for girls and one for boys, in a combined attendance zone. Trustees in favor of the change cited the need to do something different to educate students at those schools, both of which have been rated Academically Unacceptable for three of the past four years.
Trustees Torres, Lori Moya, Cheryl Bradley, Amber Elenz and Tamala Barksdale supported the recommendation, while Ann Teich, Jayme Mathias and Gina Hinojosa opposed. Trustee Robert Schneider was absent from the dais.
The administration's recommendation was based on the planning team's support of establishing two single-sex middle schools in a combined attendance area. Students will be able to "opt out" and attend another school such as Dobie, Martin, Lamar or Webb, AISD Superintendent Meria Carstarphen explained.
AISD conducted surveys among households within the attendance zone, with 721 respondents representing 1,049 students. Findings showed about half of the families wanted the school, while half did not, Carstarphen said.
During citizens communication, attendees voiced their support and objections.
"The single-gender schools for young men and women can and do produce students who greatly improve their educational and social abilities," attendee Joanne Bartz said. "No proof exists that these schools do not work."
"I do not support the creation of a school that separates students," said parent Elena Rodriguez, adding: "Men and women need to learn to get along while they're young."
Moya said a single-sex design for Garcia and Pearce would provide an opportunity for students to not only learn respect for each other but for themselves.
Bradley, who is the District 1 trustee, said the move will help children in her district transition to high school prepared to do the work needed to advance to higher education.
Moya said the district must provide more options to be able to compete with charter schools, private schools and other districts.
"The longer we resist making changes in our district and providing options for our families, the more likely our school district will be to become a dinosaur."
School for young men moves forward
With a 6–2 vote, trustees also approved the proposal to implement a districtwide school for young men for the 2014–15 school year at the Alternative Learning Center. Moya, Bradley, Teich, Mathias, Torres, Elenz voted in favor. Hinojosa and Barksdale opposed. Schneider was absent.
The board will work to secure about $22 million in funding for renovating the ALC site at 901 Neal St. and relocating its services elsewhere. The Moody Foundation had already committed up to $4.6 million for the project, contingent on board approval.
In citizens communication, some parents spoke out against creating the single-sex high school and asked the trustees to remove the vote for a school for young men from the agenda.
But others, including Alberto Gonzalez, who serves on the district advisory committee, said the school was needed to provide equality of opportunity for male students in the district because there is an existing college preparatory school for girls, the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders.
"I think it's the right thing, from an equity standpoint," Torres said.
Elenz echoed Moya's comments that a single-sex school provides another option for boys in the district, and noted she receives solicitations often to send her own ninth grade son to other schools.
"Educational competition is real, and this proposal allows AISD to be part of the game," she said.
Hinojosa suggested possibly combining the school for young men and the all-boys middle school proposed for Pearce or Garcia, establishing one campus educating boys in grades 6–12, with a magnet element for grades 9–12. Bradley, who formed the recommendation for Pearce and Garcia, said she would not support such a design, so Hinojosa did not motion to amend the existing proposal.
Another option proposed earlier in the process was co-locating the boys school with an existing middle school and reassigning those students to other schools; Covington, Garcia, Lamar, Martin and Pearce middle schools were among the sites considered. Carstarphen said community feedback showed the public does not prefer co-location or any move that would involve closing a school.
The school for young men is one of the projects being considered by the board as part of its potential $889M bond package for May. If voters decide against funding it with the bond, Carstarphen said the district would reach out to supporters and funders to discuss other options for funding. A public hearing on the bond is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 29 in the cafeteria of Reagan High School, 7104 Berkman Drive.
