La Joya ISD approves consolidation plan for specialty high schools
The La Joya ISD School Board of Trustees approved a plan to consolidate all four district early college high school programs into one.
The proposal passed unanimously during a Wednesday school board meeting after about two and a half hours in executive session.
According to a news release, this decision comes after more than nine months of "in-depth community conversations, program analysis, and stakeholder input."
"Our community has made it clear that we need to improve the outcomes for our students and address the duplication of efforts across campuses. By consolidating our Early College High School programs, we are creating a singular, focused institution dedicated to providing students with the tools they need to succeed in college, careers, and beyond," La Joya ISD Superintendent Dr. Marcey Sorensen said in the news release.
Under the proposal, the early college high school programs in La Joya Early College High School, Thelma Salinas Early College High School, and the Academy of Health Science Professions will be merged with Jimmy Carter Early College High School beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.
In the release, the district said this move is designed to "strengthen the district’s ability to deliver high-quality associate degree pathways, increase efficiency, and improve outcomes for students."
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The district said this consolidation plan aims to address current challenges such as the overlap in associate degree pathways offered at multiple campuses, and to increase the percentage of students graduating with associate degrees
The district said they also plan to streamline their associate degree offerings into targeted high-impact pathways, including interdisciplinary studies, biology, mechanical engineering and teaching.
According to the news release, students from consolidating schools will have the option to transfer to Jimmy Carter Early College High School or return to their home high schools, La Joya High School, Juarez-Lincoln High School, or Palmview High School.
Students will continue to participate in their extracurricular activities at their home campuses. Current 10th and 11th grade students transferring to Jimmy Carter ECHS will be able to complete their current associate degree pathways, while 9th graders will choose from the newly streamlined high-impact pathways.
The district previously said staff members at the schools that would close would have a chance to transfer to other campuses.