AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the Austin Independent School District continues to discuss their consolidation plan, more and more families are concerned with the impacts the changes could have on their communities.
While the district has made some changes to its original consolidation plan, parents and students from Garza Independence High School are now worried after hearing their school could move.
“Garza allowed my son to graduate high school,” said Joel Granoff.
The school, which is located in east Austin, offers students personalized pathways to graduation through self-paced curriculum.
“My favorite thing about Garza is probably the ability to choose your own adventure,” said recent graduate Aaron Granoff.
Austin ISD posted online that The U.S. Department of Education recognizes Garza among 40 schools in the country exemplifying the best practices for improving outcomes for at-risk students.
But with all the recent talk of closures and boundary changes, Garza has also been mentioned as a program that could move.
“They are trying to fix something that doesn’t really need to be fixed,” said Aaron Granoff.
The district is exploring relocating Garza to the Martin Middle School building, which is more than two miles south. The new site would serve 6th through 12th graders.
KXAN reached out to Austin ISD to see what it had to say about the proposed move, and a spokesperson provided the following statement:
“We are still exploring the option to repurpose Martin MS to serve as a new location for Garza and expand the program to serve 6-12 grade students. Because this is a program change, it would not be subject to board approval, but we are still discussing this transition as part of the overall consolidation conversation because it would be re-purposing a school that’s closing under this proposal.”
After hearing the proposal many parents, former students and even community members are speaking out.
“I think expanding it to a 6th through 12th grade program on such short notice is unacceptable,” said Jessy Liek who graduated in 2009.
“If anyone looks up how they run the school and how successful they are, to have them do that and try to repeat that with more grades in less than a year is ridiculous,” said Kim Nguyen who lives down the street from the school.
Nguyen said as a community member she is fighting to save the school because it is a community gathering space, and she supports the work they are doing to help students.
“We are deeply involved in this school,” Nguyen said.
Now the community as well as parents and former students say they will make their voices heard so that Garza remains where it is.
Garza Independence High School received a B rating in the states A to F accountability scores last year.
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