LULAC opposes strategy for schools

Group wants district to keep dual-language program, says Forgione's plan needs review

Austin school Superintendent Pat Forgione faced the challenge of coming up with a plan to revamp six underperforming schools in East and Northeast Austin starting next fall — and he had two months to do it.

But some teachers, parents and community leaders say that in his haste to reform the schools, Forgione came up with a plan that is unacceptable, and he did so without input from the community. On Monday, the Austin council of the League of United Latin American Citizens, representing East Austin Hispanic parents, threatened to ask for a court order to postpone his plan for further study. Forgione’s plan would give the schools — Blackshear, Harris, Oak Springs and Sims elementaries and Dobie and Pearce middle schools — new teaching materials, more experienced teachers and other resources in an effort to improve student performance. All of the schools have struggled with academic performance, and the school board in February directed Forgione to come up with a way to solve the problem.

LULAC’s demands include evaluating the success of the district’s new reading curriculum with minority children and keeping the dual-language program at one of the elementary schools. LULAC members also revived talk on Monday of a plan to create a separate school district east of Interstate 35. Another East Austin group proposed a similar plan last year.

Olga Cuellar, deputy director for LULAC’s District 7, said Forgione’s plan does have merits, such as calling for frequent student testing to assess progress. But the group has concerns about the teaching materials that will be used. The district plans to introduce a new curriculum for English-speaking students but will postpone using the corresponding Spanish-language materials because they won’t be available in time to train teachers this summer.

“Our children need to have more hands-on,” Cuellar said. “They need to explore because these are the opportunities they don’t have at home.”

An injunction could be sought within 21 days, said Tony Diaz, director of LULAC’s District 7.

“I don’t see any grounds for it, unless they’re saying they have the right to run our school district,” Forgione said Monday. He added that he was willing to talk to LULAC representatives, but his blueprint is not negotiable.

Some have applauded Forgione’s efforts as a move in the right direction; others have protested since late last month after the superintendent named the schools and their principals. All but one school — Sims Elementary — received new principals.

What they want

The League of United Latin American Citizens is demanding that the Austin school district address several issues concerning Superintendent Pat Forgione’s blueprint to improve underperforming schools and says it might seek an injunction to delay the plan. LULAC wants the district to:

* Appoint a committee led by outside bilingual experts to address concerns with the program.

* Provide an academic improvement plan for students who speak limited English.

* Keep the dual-language program at Harris Elementary next year and analyze the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills scores of students in that program to determine whether to continue the program.

* Evaluate the reading curriculum the district wants to use to see how it fits the needs of minority students.

* Establish a policy for selecting principals.



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