NEISD Community Advocates Platform
On December 9th, North East ISD Superintendent Dr. Sean Maika shared his intention to close three of our neighborhood schools – Wilshire Elementary, Clear Spring Elementary, and Driscoll Middle School – based on the recommendation of a district-appointed committee. Superintendent Maika justified his decision on the grounds that “we must be good stewards of our taxpayer money.” As it stands, NEISD’s board of trustees is scheduled to take a final vote on school closures as early as the February 10th board meeting.
We are the NEISD Community Advocates – a collective of NEISD parents, teachers, school workers, and community members from the targeted schools and beyond. We know the importance of fiscal responsibility firsthand managing family budgets and we stand opposed to school closures as a way to achieve it in NEISD. Furthermore, we denounce the way in which the proposed closures have been carried out in the knowledge that it’s never too late for the district to correct the course and do right by the community.
We have outlined our positions to educate the NEISD community on school closures and ensure that any process moving forward centers the needs of our students, staff, families, and communities.
Read our positions below, sign our Solidarity Commitment form, and attend a community meeting!
School Closures Are Harmful to Students & Community
Research on school closures has overwhelmingly concluded that they have a neutral or negative impact on students’ educational outcomes, cause socioemotional harm to students and significant disruption to families, and accelerate the gentrification of our working-class communities. Plans for community centers, affordable housing, and the redevelopment of closed school buildings rarely materialize. And because 85-90% of our schools’ costs are tied to personnel expenses, school closures carry no significant savings unless they are coupled with massive layoffs.
Public Schools Belong to the People, and the People Should Have a Say
We value the democratic process and believe that, as the numerical majority in our schools, students, staff, families, and community should be authentically involved in this process as an integral part of the solution, especially since none of our NEISD board trustees were elected on an explicit platform to close schools.
We Should Exhaust All Other Options Before Resorting to Closing Schools
School closures should be the last resort and students, staff, families, and community members need a clear understanding of the district’s fiscal goals, which steps have been taken to achieve those goals, and which steps remain to be taken before we even consider moving forward with a vote on closing schools.
We Need Concrete, Measurable Goals for Improved Student, Family, and Educator Outcomes
Students, staff, families, and community members need clear, concrete, comprehensive commitments for improved outcomes; investments to ensure that they take place; and metrics to measure their impact and hold district leaders accountable to their promises.
We, the NEISD Community Advocates, call for a pause in the school closure process and an immediate reprioritization of the district’s effort toward the following actions:
1. Commissioning of an Equity Audit
With school closures having historically produced little to nothing in the way of improved academic outcomes and savings but plenty in the way of harm and disruption to our students and communities, we call on district leadership to commission an equity audit as soon as possible, so that we may be able to holistically assess the full impact of the proposed closures and make a collective determination about their value on a sound, objective basis. We deserve all the facts.
2. Tracking What Comes Out of the Texas Legislature
Governor Abbott has often repeated that the passage of a school voucher bill would be accompanied by increased funding for our public education system. With the Texas Legislature that came back into session this January presumably having enough votes to pass a voucher bill, the district has a duty to wait and see what comes out of the legislative session. It would be unconscionable to close schools now if additional funding is coming in a few months.
If the NEISD Superintendent and Board of Trustees insist on closing schools, a robust, community-centered process must include the following:
An Extended Timeline & Authentic Community Engagement
A robust community conversation cannot possibly take place between December and February. NEISD should commit to a longer, year-long timeline that can engage our community in a deeper process that truly centers community voice and shared decision-making. This includes the release of relevant data for all of the district’s campuses, community meetings at the closing and receiving schools, and a commitment to truly listen and incorporate community feedback into the final recommendation to be brought to the board.
Clear, Measurable Metrics for Success
For this process to have any built-in accountability and for our district to come out of it stronger, NEISD leadership should make clear, measurable commitments for improved student, staff, family, and community outcomes. We call on district leaders to make clear, specific, measurable commitments around reduced class size and improved enrollment, attendance, retention, and graduation.
Transition Support for Students and Families
We call for the creation of a dedicated team to accompany students and families through the transition that school closures would create. The district should give first priority in school choice to the students impacted by school closures and ensure continuity of programs and services to all with a particular focus on our poorest and most marginalized students as well as those relying on ALE and special education services.
Job Guarantee for Teachers and Support Staff
Teachers and support staff are not responsible for the district’s fiscal woes and should not be made to pay for them. That’s why we call on district leaders to guarantee that no one NEISD worker will lose their job as a result of this process. This is especially critical since class size remains an issue in NEISD on the backdrop of an acute shortage of education professionals nationwide.
Community Vote on Future Use with A Commitment Not to Sell Our NEISD Buildings
School communities should decide on proposed new uses for all closed school buildings and should vote on their preferred plan for all newly-empty school buildings. Additionally, NEISD should commit not to sell any of the vacated school buildings. At a time when San Antonio is experiencing large population growth, it would be unconscionable to ask taxpayers to fund new buildings after closing and selling off existing schools.
NEISD Community Advocates are not connected with any political party, elected official, or candidate.