AUSTIN, Texas — Starting next fall, sixth grade will no longer be offered at two Austin ISD middle schools.
According to a report from KVUE's media partners at the Austin American-Statesman, district leaders plan to transform both Martin and Mendez middle schools into junior high schools, serving only seventh and eighth grade. The district will move sixth-grade students to other middle schools and add sixth-grade classes to the elementary schools that feed into Martin and Mendez.
According to the Statesman report, in an online discussion last week, AISD leaders said that they hope the approach will improve student performance and allow the district to keep students who are typically lost during the transition to middle school. However, some parents worry that the change will offer students fewer school and extracurricular options.
The Statesman reports that AISD has seen about 60% of students unenroll after graduating from an elementary school that feeds into Martin and Mendez. Many students opt for charter schools instead.
Both Martin and Mendez have also failed to meet Texas Education Agency (TEA) standards. In fact, Mendez has failed to meet standards for so many years that AISD's school board currently faces a potential takeover by State-appointed officials if the campus doesn't improve.
The Statesman reports that district leaders have designated alternate schools for students who want to attend another AISD middle schools, including the Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy and the Bertha Sadler Means Young Women's Leadership Academy.
O. Henry and Covington middle schools will also serve as sixth-grade alternates for Martin, and Paredes and Bedichek middle schools will serve as alternatives for Mendez.
Additionally, students may apply to attend other district schools through magnet or special programs and the transfer process, but transportation will only be provided for district-identified alternatives, according to the Statesman's report.
AISD leaders reportedly said they will provide staffing to affected elementary schools based on enrollment and they will ask employees for sixth grade at Martin and Mendez about their teaching preferences for schools in the district.
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