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May 12, 2009 6:23 pm US/Central
DISD Learning Centers Could Lose Funding
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
The Dallas Independent School District is facing backlash over possible reductions at campuses with court-ordered desegregation.
Under the court order, some schools get more money than others. The schools use the money to fund magnet schools. There is now controversy over whether the schools will have to lose the money they were given.
Eighty percent of the students attending J. W. Ray Learning Center live in public housing. Parent Starla Patrick is not happy about the talk of cuts at the school.
"We have some excellent teachers here, from pre-K all the way up to fifth grade," said Patrick.
DISD's use of $100 million in federal aid is tied to spreading that money to other schools in need. Those schools aren't court-ordered learning centers or magnet programs.
Seven popular magnet programs, like the Washington Performing Arts Magnet or the nationally recognized Townview program, wouldn't lose the extra funding they get. However, learning centers like J.W. Ray could.
"Magnet schools are in a different category. Because they draw students from throughout the entire school district, they don't necessarily have to be in the same guidelines as all the other schools in the district," said DISD spokesman Jon Dahlander.
Melody Townsel's daughter attends a protected magnet. She says DISD should fund both. "It concerns me when you're talking about funding cuts to any school," she said. "I think that's the one thing we need to pour a ton of money into."
Learning centers are in predominantly minority neighborhoods. That is not the case for the magnet schools. Magnet schools only have 5,000 students in those schools out of 157,000 students in DISD.
The board will decide if they should share their funding with other schools or keep it to themselves.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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