As mentioned in the Texas Observer and Empower Texans.
Through the halls, cafeteria, and gymnasium of a local high school, an entire school district came together to promote a concept traditionally exclusive to non-public education — school choice.
The Grand Prairie Independent School District (GPISD), located in Dallas County, introduced its school choice model to the community on January 21, 2012. GPISD turned South Grand Prairie High School into a showcase for each of their campuses while highlighting schools with individual academies.
The school of choice model offers parents what they have been asking for — to choose a pathway of education for their children. The schools of choice are concept schools that offer students an extension of traditional curriculum, providing students academy options with specialized focus. Under this model, parents and students can choose the type of educational experience that best fits the needs of the individual student. If a student shows a propensity for leadership, fine arts, or math and science, GPISD offers “schools within schools” to advance those interests and skills for their children while also offering traditional schools.
To spread the word about this new concept, the district advertised through newspapers, postcards, Facebook, Twitter, and email to invite parents, teachers, and anyone else interested to take a closer look at GPISD schools.
And the parents responded. The doors opened to welcome parents to the showcase at 10 a.m. Before 11 a.m. all applications for the schools of choice had been distributed.
GPISD presented five elementary school and three middle school campuses as schools of choice:
- Garner Fine Arts Academy (@GarnerFineArts), which was once slated for closure last year, offers a fine arts curriculum for students including music, art, dance, and the performing arts.
- Bonham Early Childhood Center offers an early childhood and Pre-kindergarten curriculum with daycare facilities for GPISD employees.
- David Daniels Academy of Science and Math offers an emphasis on math and science while grooming elementary students for leadership positions.
- Thurgood Marshall Leadership Academy will focus on preparing students for real-world work experiences with empahsis on leadership traits and interpersonal skills
- The STEM Academy at the Crockett 5th Grade Center will offer a comprehensive curriculum for 5th grade students with increased emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
- Bill Arnold Young Women’s Leadership Academy will offer a comprehensive middle school curriculum in grades 6-8 for girls only while John F. Kennedy Young Men’s Leadership Academy will offer the same for boy only.
- The Fine Arts Academy at Reagan Middle School, a feeder school for Garner Fine Arts Academy, will build on the skills students have gained from Garner offering a more rigorous fine arts curriculum for middle school students.
The district anticipates adding more schools of choice in 2013 with additional pilot programs and increased emphasis on advanced academics. These schools provide many of the benefits and innovation that parents had previously turned to charter schools and private schools to access. The GPISD schools of choice model offers parents the same focused curriculum of charter schools and private schools, but with the accountability structure and access to state of Texas-certified/highly qualified educators required of public school districts.
In the packed gymnasium, principals, teachers, students, and district employees spoke about the progress of their campuses and their plans for the future. I watched parents flock to the schools of choice to learn about their offerings, discuss interests with their children, eagerly fill out transfer applications, and position their children for success.
Through school choice, GPISD is satisfying the desires of its community – providing access to high performing and academically successful campuses that meet the specific needs of the individual students. Despite funding constraints and budget cuts, GPISD is thinking outside of the box and breaking the traditional public education mold. GPISD is a leader, blazing the trail in what will likely become the new norm for school districts.
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