La Marque Independent School District

La Marque Independent School District (LMISD) was a public school district based in La Marque, Texas, in the Houston metropolitan area. In addition to much of La Marque, the district served portions of Texas City and Tiki Island.[1] As of July 1, 2016 it consolidated into the Texas City Independent School District.

History

In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.[2]

The Texas Education Agency's college readiness performance data shows that only 3.1% (5 out of 152 students) of the graduates of the class of 2010 of the La Marque school district met TEA's average performance criterion on SAT or ACT college admission tests.[3]

In 2010, after some state budget cuts occurred, the district considered closing Inter-City Elementary School.[4]

In 2011, the district was labeled academically unacceptable.

In March 2012 the district projected that it would have a $4.6 million deficit the following year. It considered closing Highlands Elementary School and Simms Elementary School to save $450,000.[5]

In 2015 the district had 2,500 students.[6] On February 6, 2015, the Texas Education Agency revoked the District's accreditation, citing unacceptable academic ratings, as well as its poor financial situation.[7] In April of that year the decision was put on hold.[8] On September 23, 2015, the Texas Education Commissioner announced that the superintendent and school board would be removed and replaced by a state-appointed board of managers, but that the schools would remain open. The board of managers must either dissolve the district or return it to local control within two years.[9]

On November 12, 2015, La Marque ISD received a letter from TEA Commissioner Michael Williams advising the School Board that the district would be closed on July 1, 2016 and absorbed by another district. While it has not yet been announced who would be absorbing the district, Texas City ISD is the most likely candidate due to geographical location and is said to have a tentative plan in place to absorb the failed district, which includes keeping the campuses of LMISD open but under new administration.[10] A conservator has been assigned by the TEA Commissioner to oversee the district and advise the school board for the remainder of the 15-16 school year.[11][12]

On November 30, 2015, in a special meeting, the LMISD Board of trustees voted to hire a Houston Law firm at a cost of at least $300,000.00 to fight the decision by the TEA to close the district.[13]

On December 2, 2015, TEA Commissioner Williams announced that Texas City ISD would absorb LMISD effective July 1, 2016;[14] LMISD successfully met its academic standards but failed to meet its financial ones.[15]

LMISD and TCISD students will continue to attend their respective neighborhood schools for the 2016-2017 school year.[16] LMISD schools will remain open since there is not enough space at existing TCISD schools, and out of consideration of stability of the education of LMISD students. The athletic programs will not yet be consolidated. All LMISD staff will need to reapply for the 2016-2017 school year.[17]

School uniforms

Students from PreKindergarten to the 8th grade in the district required school uniforms or "standardized dress".[18] The school required PreK-8 students to wear golf shirts colored navy, gold, or white and navy trousers. The Texas Education Agency specifies that the parents and/or guardians of students zoned to a school with uniforms may apply for a waiver to opt out of the uniform policy so their children do not have to wear the uniform;[19] parents must specify "bona fide" reasons, such as religious reasons or philosophical objections.

High school students were permitted to wear solid-colored or striped golf shirts that do not have the colors red and black. Trousers were permitted to be navy, khaki, or denim.[18]

As of July 1, 2016 the La Marque PreKindergarten through 8 schools continued to have school uniforms. La Marque High has no standardized dress policy since it now follows the TCISD school dress policy.[20]

Schools

The former La Marque School, constructed in 1936 and closed in 1995.[21]
1936 dedication plaque for the La Marque school.

Schools

Open at time of district closure:

Closed/repurposed prior to district closure:

Partnership schools

References

  1. ↑ "SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Galveston County, TX." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on January 4, 2015.
  2. ↑ "2009 Accountability Rating System". Texas Education Agency.
  3. ↑ "College admission testing class of 2010:District and campus supplement". Texas Education Agency.
  4. ↑ "La Marque ISD may close school, cut jobs" (Archive). KHOU-TV. March 11, 2010. Retrieved on August 22, 2015.
  5. ↑ "La Marque ISD considers closing some schools" (Archive). KTRK-TV. Wednesday March 7, 2012. Retrieved on August 22, 2015.
  6. ↑ Mellon, Ericka. "State calls for closing La Marque ISD" (Archive). Houston Chronicle. February 6, 2015. Retrieved on February 10, 2015.
  7. ↑ Brannen, John. "Texas Education Agency revokes La Marque ISD's accreditation". KHOU. (Archive)
  8. ↑ Mellon, Ericka. "Closure of La Marque ISD on hold." Houston Chronicle. April 8, 2015. Retrieved on June 22, 2015.
  9. ↑ Aulds, T. (2015-09-24). "State to replace La Marque school board, superintendent: Troubled district will stay open, but under new management". The Daily News. Galveston. Archived from the original on September 28, 2015.
  10. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/i45now/posts/895001733921768?fref=nf&pnref=story
  11. ↑ Glenn, Mike. "State will close La Marque ISD" (Archive). Houston Chronicle. Thursday, November 12, 2015. Retrieved on November 14, 2015.
  12. ↑ Schmidt, Kaitlin and Shannon Daughtry. "TEA announces La Marque ISD to be closed, annexed" (Archive). The Galveston County Daily News. Thursday November 12, 2015. Retrieved on November 12, 2016.
  13. ↑ Barnett, Marissa. "La Marque school board hires attorneys to fight TEA." The Galveston County Daily News. Monday, November 30, 2015. Retrieved on January 12, 2016.
  14. ↑ Daughtry, Shannon. "TEA: Texas City ISD to annex La Marque ISD ." The Galveston County Daily News. Wednesday December 2, 2015. Retrieved on January 12, 2016. "Texas City ISD will annex La Marque ISD into its school district beginning in the 2016-17 school year."
  15. ↑ Zaveri, Mihir. "Texas City ISD moves toward absorbing La Marque school district" (Archive). Houston Chronicle. Wednesday, February 17, 2016. Retrieved on February 23, 2016.
  16. ↑ "TEA annexes LMISD to TCISD" (Archive). Texas City Independent School District. Retrieved on January 12, 2016.
  17. ↑ "LMISD Annex to TCISD - Q&A" (Archive). Texas City Independent School District. Retrieved on January 12, 2016.
  18. 1 2 "2008-09 Dress Code." La Marque Independent School District.
  19. ↑ "School Uniforms", Texas Education Agency
  20. ↑ "La Marque Pre-K through 8th to keep standardized dress." Texas City Independent School District. Retrieved on July 1, 2016.
  21. ↑ Chris Paschenko. "School land deed disputed". Galveston Daily News. Retrieved 2009-11-16.

Further reading

External links

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