He recommended Monday that the district sever ties with Community Education Partners and let other groups compete to run an alternative school for students. HISD Superintendent Terry Grier recommended Monday that the district sever ties with Community Education Partners and let other groups compete to run an alternative school for students with serious discipline problems.
The Houston Independent School District has contracted with CEP a Nashville-based for-profit company since 1997 to run two alternative schools which have drawn a mix of ardent supporters and opponents over the years.
Grier who has been on the job six months said CEPs price tag nearly $22 million this school year is too high. He wants the school board to invite other groups to submit proposals to run a smaller less expensive alternative school. CEP could re-apply.
We want the best program to meet the needs of our kids" Grier told the board at a Monday night meeting.
The new alternative school estimated to cost $14 million would serve only those students who commit serious offenses such as selling drugs or bringing weapons on campus that require expulsion under state law or district policy. HISD currently gives principals the option of sending students to CEP for discretionary reasons such as smoking using profanity or chronically misbehaving.
Grier is proposing that students who commit less serious offenses get sent to another HISD campus in a swapping program. Problem students at one middle or high school would be sent to another in hopes that their behavior would improve in a different environment away from friends but without the metal detectors and strict rules of an alternative school.
Students ordered to swap schools would receive a mentor at their new school and sign a behavior contract. Those who broke the rules immediately would be sent to the alternative school. Grier said the program is modeled after one in New Orleans.
A few school board members questioned whether the transfer program would cause more problems for schools and affect academics.
And were not going to increase the stress level of our teachers or administrators?" asked Trustee Manuel Rodriguez Jr.
No" Grier said adding that principals will help design the program.
The six trustees at the meeting Monday did not indicate whether they supported cutting ties with CEP. The districts deadline to end its five-year contract without cause ended March 1 but Grier said the pact allows the district to drop CEP by choosing not to fund it.
The district is awaiting the results of a study by a Texas A&M University researcher that it commissioned to gauge the effectiveness of CEP. Supporters have said the program reforms students behavior and improves their academics while critics call it a dropout factory. Several school districts across the country have stopped using CEP.
Randle Richardson CEPs chief executive officer could not be reached for comment Monday night.
Houston Federation of Teachers President Gayle Fallon an ardent supporter of CEP whose union has exclusive bargaining rights at the Houston campuses criticized Griers idea.
That jerk is willing to throw these kids away rather than save them so he can divert a few dollars into his asinine new programs that no one wants" she said.
If the district decides not to contract again with CEP or another company Grier said it could consider partnering with the Harris County Department of Education which runs alternative schools for other districts. He said he was reluctant for HISD to run its own program because the districts in-house effort before CEP was considered a failure.
He recommended Monday that the district sever ties with Community Education Partners and let other groups compete to run an alternative school for students. HISD Superintendent Terry Grier recommended Monday that the district sever ties with Community Education Partners and let other groups compete to run an alternative school for students with serious discipline problems.
The Houston Independent School District has contracted with CEP a Nashville-based for-profit company since 1997 to run two alternative schools which have drawn a mix of ardent supporters and opponents over the years.
Grier who has been on the job six months said CEPs price tag nearly $22 million this school year is too high. He wants the school board to invite other groups to submit proposals to run a smaller less expensive alternative school. CEP could re-apply.
We want the best program to meet the needs of our kids" Grier told the board at a Monday night meeting.
The new alternative school estimated to cost $14 million would serve only those students who commit serious offenses such as selling drugs or bringing weapons on campus that require expulsion under state law or district policy. HISD currently gives principals the option of sending students to CEP for discretionary reasons such as smoking using profanity or chronically misbehaving.
Grier is proposing that students who commit less serious offenses get sent to another HISD campus in a swapping program. Problem students at one middle or high school would be sent to another in hopes that their behavior would improve in a different environment away from friends but without the metal detectors and strict rules of an alternative school.
Students ordered to swap schools would receive a mentor at their new school and sign a behavior contract. Those who broke the rules immediately would be sent to the alternative school. Grier said the program is modeled after one in New Orleans.
A few school board members questioned whether the transfer program would cause more problems for schools and affect academics.
And were not going to increase the stress level of our teachers or administrators?" asked Trustee Manuel Rodriguez Jr.
No" Grier said adding that principals will help design the program.
The six trustees at the meeting Monday did not indicate whether they supported cutting ties with CEP. The districts deadline to end its five-year contract without cause ended March 1 but Grier said the pact allows the district to drop CEP by choosing not to fund it.
The district is awaiting the results of a study by a Texas A&M University researcher that it commissioned to gauge the effectiveness of CEP. Supporters have said the program reforms students behavior and improves their academics while critics call it a dropout factory. Several school districts across the country have stopped using CEP.
Randle Richardson CEPs chief executive officer could not be reached for comment Monday night.
Houston Federation of Teachers President Gayle Fallon an ardent supporter of CEP whose union has exclusive bargaining rights at the Houston campuses criticized Griers idea.
That jerk is willing to throw these kids away rather than save them so he can divert a few dollars into his asinine new programs that no one wants" she said.
If the district decides not to contract again with CEP or another company Grier said it could consider partnering with the Harris County Department of Education which runs alternative schools for other districts. He said he was reluctant for HISD to run its own program because the districts in-house effort before CEP was considered a failure.
