Dallas ISD trustees to hear alternatives to traditional public schools; Harllee Elementary could reopen
A protest in support of using Texas' Rainy Day Fund to help keep schools fully funded was held in front of Harllee Elementary School in Dallas on March 23, 2011. (John F. Rhodes / The Dallas Morning News)
Dallas ISD trustees will hear a report this week on ways to expand school choice in the district. The report is also expected to focus on possible uses for district facilities, including schools that have recently closed.
Moak, Casey and Associates will present the report at Thursday’s board briefing.
Also at the briefing, trustees could discuss a proposal to reopen Harllee Elementary School as an early childhood center in 2014-15. The school would serve students age 3, 4 and 5.
Startup costs and first-year operations for Harllee is estimated at $2 million, with an initial enrollment of 192. Trustees are scheduled to vote on the proposed reopening on Jan. 23. Community members were invited to a meeting hosted by trustee Lew Blackburn on Nov. 19 to provide input on the reopening.
Trustees were given a “concept paper” by district administration in November on ways to reopen several schools over the next two school years. Also recommended were changes to a couple of current campuses.
A proposal to reopen H.S. Thompson Learning Center was pulled from the board’s November agenda.