The Brownsville Independent School District has begun discussions to consolidate Cromack and Casteneda elementary schools in Southmost and the Brownsville Academic Center and Brownsville Learning Academy, the district’s two alternative campuses.
Potentially, the district could save $1.2 million annually in administrative costs, Anysia Trevino, deputy superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, said at a budget committee meeting last week.
Both proposals would require action from the BISD Board of Trustees to move forward and neither was on the board’s agenda for Tuesday evening.
Trevino said Monday that BISD will not move forward on the proposed Casteneda-Cromack consolidation until the 2022-2023 school year, but that it would begin consolidating BAC and BLA, the two alternative campuses, this year.
BLA is for students who have fallen behind on credits to catch up. BAC is for students who have had disciplinary and other problems.
Cromack, 3200 E. 30th St., and Casteneda, 3201 Lima St. share a common rear property line and draw their students from roughly the same area. Casteneda is the newer of the two schools, but the newer wings of Cromack would also remain open under the proposal, Superintendent Rene Gutierrez said.
At the meeting, principals at both schools said teachers were surprised but receptive when they heard about the proposal.
“It was explained to us kind of like it is a natural because of our proximity, a merging of our two communities that are already so close together,” Casteneda Principal Nora Camargo said. “We already have a great group of teachers at Cromack that are committed, and I just think that common work ethic will keep us together, so I think everybody was very positive.”
Cromack Principal Lucinda Hernadez said the two schools have a lot in common.
“It would be like an extended family,” she said. “I assured them that it’s a big difference between consolidating vs closing schools. I have been in a school that was closed because of redistricting and it was traumatic for our teachers and our students. The big difference is you are staying open. You have a job.”
Responding to questions from board members, Trevino said there would be no intermingling of BLA and BAC students, only a combining of administrative functions.
