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New charter program to take affect next year at Highlands High School

A new charter pilot program at Highlands High School is geared toward helping 250 students who are at least one year behind in school.

SAISD approved a partnership with a charter school called Texans Can Academies to launch a pilot program through Highlands High School.

"It's a separate program at the campus for eligible students to opt-in to," said Leslie Price, chief communications officer for SAISD. "It doesn't in any way affect Highlands students."

Price said that the program is geared for 250 students who are at least one year behind in school.

"We are looking very carefully at all of our different students and where we see a need or supplement greater services," Price said. "In this case, we see a number of students who are so behind that they need additional help, and they want to stay at a comprehensive high school instead of going to an alternative school."

Shelley Potter, president of the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel, said many teachers are concerned that partnering with charter schools will become a norm for the school district.

"This situation, along with Stewart [Elementary] which happened just about a week ago, is a move towards contracting out our students and the accompanying jobs,” Potter said. “And it's being done without transparency and without the engagement of the community that we serve."

Price says that the principal of Highlands High School, Julio Garcia, conducted surveys with parents, students, and staff and found that many supported the program.

A mother of two Highlands High School students says that she didn’t see or receive a survey and felt that the school was not being transparent.

"Be clear about what is going to happen to everybody," Amanda Aranda said. "Because it's not just the people coming in who have to adjust, it's everybody in the school; the teachers, the administration, the students."

She hopes that more questions will be answered before the program goes into effect next year.

The pilot is expected to span at least three years.

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