3 days ago
Wichita Falls ISD partners with Third Future to boost Hirschi Middle School
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — For eight years. Hirschi Middle School, formerly Kirby, has been below an acceptable accountability rating.
The Wichita Falls ISD Board of Trustees voted to enter into negotiations with a turnaround and education improvement partner.
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'We've really failed these kids,' Board of Trustees, Place 5 Representative Jim Johnson said.
Johnson noted the shortfalls the board has made in trying to turn Hirschi around.
The campus is at risk of being taken over by the state or closed.
'We've been doing the same thing year over year from about 2016, and the results have been kind of stagnant since then,' WFISD Superintendent Dr. Donny Lee said.
The board is now taking a different approach in turning the campus around.
The board turns to Third Future Schools to be the school operator for Hirschi Middle School.
'We're trying to jump ahead of this in anticipation of the 2024 Accountability Letter and partner with Third Future to get the ball rolling now, instead of waiting another calendar year and lose another year of academic instruction,' Lee said.
Currently, the school is projected to receive an 'F' rating for the 2024 school year.
Lee and the board said that Third Future Schools' track record speaks for itself, with the company operating several schools across Texas.
'We looked at Mendez Middle School in Austin, a very tough middle school. It went from an F to a B,' Lee said. 'We're going into this with the expectation that there's going to be some significant improvements in student outcomes where we would not do it.'
While Hirschi will still be under the WFISD, Lee says Third Future Schools will have access to personnel hiring decisions.
Lee said the organization will conduct interviews with staff next week.
The district will offer staff the option to interview with Third Future Schools, or they will find a suitable position within the district for them.
Third Future Schools will decide who will work for them as the operator of the Hirschi.
The organization champions turning failing schools around in a quick timeframe.
Now, only time will tell the fate of Hirschi Middle School.
The WFISD will host a town hall meeting for the community regarding the partnership. It begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at the Career Education Center.
The partnership is scheduled to begin in Fall 2025.
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