Lynn Walsh

A story written for Texas Watchdog:

Video: Houston ISD trustees approve magnet school plan following intense debate
Fri Apr 9 18:03:00 2010 CST
By Lynn Walsh

The $12 million federal grant proposal for five magnet programs at Houston ISD schools is moving forward.

The Houston Independent School District trustees voted to submit the magnet school application to the federal government Thursday at their board meeting. But before the vote there was more than an hour of deliberation, a change in the proposal, lots of clarification and comments from parents angry about the plan.

The big issue: Turning Garden Oaks Elementary school into a complete Montessori magnet school. Currently the school uses a school-within-a-school model; students are either enrolled in the Montessori program or a traditional program. Parents on either side of the issue took to the mic Thursday night voicing their support or distaste with the plan.

HISD Superintendent Terry Grier apologized for how the district handled the federal application process. “Communication could have been clearer,” Grier said. Grier’s complete apology can be viewed in the clip below.

Most of the night was spent clarifying the proposals. Trustee Carol Galloway asked Grier about community involvement in crafting the magnet school plans, a question that was met with silence.

A worker in the superintendent’s office explained that there were parents involved in the planning process, and told the trustees that officials had met with them many times.

Trustee Larry Marshall has called the proposal “overly ambitious” and warned fellow trustees against getting too involved with the federal government.

Thursday night, Marshall suggested an alternative: splitting the grant proposal into two separate board votes, one for Garden Oaks and another for the other four schools involved, Jones, Fondren, Whidby and Dodson. Watch the alternative Marshall suggested in the clip below.

In the end, both measured passed, but Marshall, Galloway and Rodriguez voted against including Garden Oaks.

Also reporting:
Houston Chronicle
Houston Press