The Texas Education Agency's (TEA) intervention in Killeen Independent School District (KISD) highlights the critical need for school districts to maintain acceptable performance levels. The TEA's order for KISD to develop a turnaround plan by November 14 comes after Manor, Palo Alto, and Eastern Hills middle schools received consecutive failing grades.
The situation has prompted KISD to evaluate various strategies, including the ACE (Accelerating Campus Excellence) model, which provides stipends to high-performing teachers to incentivize them to teach at underperforming campuses, and the SB 1882 Partnership model, which involves partnering with an open-enrollment charter school. KISD is also seeking community feedback to inform its recommendations to the Board of Trustees in October. Parent Rebecca Mercado emphasized the importance of teamwork between schools, students, and families.
KISD posted a message on its website stating, 'This work matters to the entire district, even if you are not directly connected to one of these school communities.... District leaders are evaluating proven options and innovative approaches... Community feedback will inform our recommendation to the Board of Trustees in October.'
How to Prepare:
1.Stay Informed: Parents and community members should stay informed about the district's plans and attend scheduled discussions.
2.Provide Feedback: Participate in community forums and provide constructive feedback to the Board of Trustees.
3.Support Schools: Offer support to teachers and students in the affected schools.
Who This Affects Most:
• Students attending Manor, Palo Alto, and Eastern Hills middle schools.
• Teachers and staff at these schools.
• Parents of students in these schools.
• The Killeen ISD community as a whole.