SAN ANTONIO – Administrators at San Antonio Technology Academy had hoped the school would not have to close, but that hope is now dwindling after recent changes.
Principal Dr. Benjamin Johnson said almost all the 127 students are "at risk" for many factors.
"Most of these students have been pushed out of other schools, either for attendance or grades or lack of progress. Some of them haven't been in school for a while and they're coming back. We gave hope to these kids," he said.
Now, Johnson said, hope is running out.
"Several students that were making progress here that are not going to return to school if our school doesn't open again," Johnson said.
In March, several clerical mistakes at the school resulted in a Texas Education Agency rating of "unacceptable." Johnson was told it had to close, but he and Sen. Jose Menendez tried to keep it open.
"We created an amendment to House Bill 1842, which was going to change some of the things that happened with Senate Bill 2 that have affected charter schools negatively," Johnson said.
The amendment said the TEA would not close any charter school due to clerical mistakes. It was SATA's saving grace, until recently.
The bill did pass, but the House committee dropped the amendment.
"They pulled it because they said it was redundant," Johnson said.
Now the only things that can save the school are three sections of the passed bill that give closing charter schools a second chance if they make drastic changes.
The problem is that Johnson said he needs someone to grant him that opportunity -- and before the July 31 non-renewal deadline.
"I've made a plea to Commissioner Williams and to the governor to see if there's anything they can do," Johnson said.
If the school does close down, it's not just the 127 students who will have to look for somewhere else to go, but also about 15 staff members.