HOUSTON — We're just days away from finding out what voters decide when it comes to HISD's $4.4 billion bond proposal. Plans to co-locate some schools into others are creating some debate.
As of right now, seven schools could be impacted by HISD's plan to co-locate if the bond passes. The district says those schools will maintain their individuality, but one parent says he's concerned it'll close schools leaving already underserved communities in worse shape.
Northeast Houston parent Savant Moore isn't sold on the promises laid out in the proposal.
“We just believe this is the wrong bond at the wrong time," Moore said.
As an elected HISD trustee who has children who have gone to school in the district, there are quite a few pressing concerns. But topping his list: co-location. That's what HISD plans to do with portions of the bond and it could impact seven schools. Co-locate means moving some schools onto the same grounds as another school while allowing them to maintain their own identity.
“I don’t like the legal language on the bond that they have the opportunity to vote and they can change where the money is diverted. We just saw what happened in Fort Bend ISD. So why wouldn’t it happen at HISD?" Moore said.
Houston ISD wrote in an article in HISD Source that said, in part, "The bond is designed to address multiple district challenges, including declining enrollment, financial constraints, and the need for updated and secure school facilities. HISD sees co-location as a viable solution to reduce operational costs while maintaining or enhancing student services and academic quality."
“When I think about co-location, once you take those schools away, where are those students going to go? We already have been using school choice to provide that quality education for our kids for all these years. Why don’t you eliminate that where you just make it where are quality schools in our neighborhoods?” Moore said.
Moore says schools are vital assets for a community, a the threat of losing them. He believes this spells worse news for the already underserved.
“A bond proposal shouldn’t just be for one side of town doing well," he said.
HISD says the district already has 12 existing co-locations. Currently, seven more schools would be impacted by collocation if the bond passes. The district says each school would retain its own staff and its own unique instructional identity.