MEDIA ADVISORY
For Immediate Release: June 10, 2011
For Additional Information Contact:
Paul Saldaña, 512.771-7284
Email: psaldana@brisacommunications.com
Austin, Texas - Members of the Govalle/Johnston community will host two upcoming community meetings on Tuesday, June 14th and Thursday, June 30th at 6:30 p.m. at the East Austin College Prep Academy located at 6002 Jain Lane with concerned parents and community members regarding the ongoing failure of Eastside Memorial High School. This year, one in three senior classmates failed to graduate from Eastside Memorial Green Tech for failure to pass the state academic standard test. Eastside Memorial Green Tech had the overall highest percentage nearly 30 percent of seniors failing.
Johnston High School was among the first schools in the state of Texas to be shut down for ongoing failure and three years ago was repurposed to become Eastside Memorial High School. Three years into the repurposing plan and still failing, the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees recently approved a reconstitution plan that must be submitted for approval to the Texas Education Agency.
Representatives of the Govalle/Johnston neighborhood and East Austin community leaders have organized a community campaign to challenge AISD’s reconstitution plan. The community campaign includes a signature petition drive, writing and email campaign, community engagement meetings, and a plan to meet with Education Commissioner Robert Scott to personally express opposition to AISD’s reconstitution plan. Members of the community have already provided AISD a community plan to expand the East Austin College Prep Academy at the Eastside Memorial campus.
WHAT: Eastside Memorial High School Concerned Parents/Community Meeting
WHEN: Tuesday, June 14th & Thursday, June 30th at 6:30pm
WHERE: East Austin College Prep Academy, 6002 Jain Lane, Austin TX 78721
WHO: Facilitated by Community Leaders
WHY: Take action on ideas and hear options to provide a better quality of education to the community.
RSVP: Angelica Noyola 512.939-6138 or email anoyola@swkey.org
*2011 AISD Non-Graduation Rates for High Schools. Note, non-graduation rate for AISD is 8% district wide, Eastside Memorial/Green Tech non-graduation rate is nearly 30%
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