Under a draft plan, school administrators have proposed creating a middle school for students who aren’t prepared for high school and are older than typical middle school students. The school, which hasn’t been named, could be at Barbara Manns High School downtown.
But unlike students at the high school, the middle school’s students would not attend voluntarily.
“This will be a bit more controversial because of the age,†DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said at Thursday’s board briefing. “It won’t be universally accepted by parents of these kids.â€
District officials said they hope more than 200 students could attend the school in 2011-12. The goal of the school is to reduce the dropout rate and to help ensure that students enter high school at the right age.
“Some of these kids will want to go straight to high school with buddies, but they haven’t met the academic requirements,†Hinojosa said. “If they don’t pass, then that’s where they get placed.â€
Sixth-graders who are older than 13 1/2 years, and seventh-graders older than 14 1/2 will attend the school. Eighth-graders who are at least 15 1/2 years old or who have failed the TAKS reading and math tests three times will be assigned, district official s said.
Dallas school trustees are expected to consider approving the middle school at February’s board meeting.
