Imminent closing of SAISD elementary school surprises parents

Rodriguez Elementary School to close due to low performance for five years

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Independent School District announced Friday that Rodriguez Elementary School will close next year after the school failed to meet state accountability standards for the fifth year in a row.

The school is closing under House Bill 1842, which states that a school must be closed if it receives an "improvement required" rating for more than four consecutive years.

According to an SAISD news release, the school will remain open through the end of May 2019. The district said parents of students were informed of the possible consequences in the spring of 2017.

Parents we spoke with Monday who were taking their children to the first day of school were upset that they weren't told sooner. 

Frank Rodriguez said he didn't know the school was closing until KSAT 12 News asked him about it. Rodriguez said he thinks the faculty should have told parents on Friday when they were at the school meeting teachers and staff.

"I talked to the teacher and everything, and they didn't tell us nothing," Rodriguez said. "Now you tell me this. I'm freaking out because next year, my other son was supposed to come here."

The district is currently working on opening another school at the location and will work with parents to determine the best course of action for their students for the 2019-2020 school year. 

Teachers and staff members were informed of the academic progress and results early last week. 

According to the district, staff members will still be employed by the district when the school closes in the summer of 2019.


About the Author:

Sarah Acosta is a weekend Good Morning San Antonio anchor and a general assignments reporter at KSAT12. She joined the news team in April 2018 as a morning reporter for GMSA and is a native South Texan.