HOUSTON – The Houston Independent School District is proposing two drastic changes to make sure the state doesn't take control of underperforming schools.
Kashmere High School is on a list with 14 other low-performing elementary, middle and high schools that has the state threatening to take over the HISD School Board or shut down the schools.
Here are some questions and answers about HISD's two new proposals:
Which schools are on the state's list?
There are 15 elementary, middle and high schools that has the state threatening to take over the HISD School Board or shut down the schools.
Blackshear, Dogan, Highland Heights, Hilliard, Mading and Wesley elementary schools, Cullen, Henry, Woodson and Lawson middle schools, and Kashmere, Madison, North Forest, Wheatley and Worthing high schools are at the middle of the debate.
What is HISD doing to prevent the takeover?
The first proposal has the district partnering with with outside nonprofit organizations that would take control of the schools.
The district is not going down without a fight.
"We're going to start having a conversation with this community about a potential partnership that will provide many opportunities for our students next year at," HISD superintendent Richard Carranza said.
The second option is that the schools would close and immediately re-open with completely new staffs before next school year.
"It's not an option that I would ever vote for," said HISD Board President Rhonda Skillern-Jones. "I will never vote to close down the school. This community doesn't deserve that and most of all our children don't deserve that."
Will there be a new school bond measure?
HISD is considering asking taxpayers to approve $1 billion bond.
Carranza said that while the 2012 bond focused on building new schools, including Kashmere, the new bond would focus on aging elementary and middle schools.
The new bond could come up for a vote on the November ballot.