What if I told you a story of a school’s rise and fall in Houston? This isn’t directly about Saint Mark Houston, but it speaks to the educational landscape of the city.
Let’s talk about Girls and Boys Preparatory Academy. It operated from 1995 to 2015. It was one of the first charter schools in Texas. Carroll Salley, a former HISD employee, founded it. She wanted to improve education for African-American students.
The school started with high school grades. Later, it added earlier grades. It aimed to help “at risk” students. Kimya McKinney, Salley’s daughter, became the principal.
In 1996, the school opened in an office building. They soon needed $30,000 for fire code compliance. By 1997, they offered Arabic, French, Spanish, and Swahili.
However, not all teachers were certified by 2007. The school board worked to fix this. Victoria Dunn became superintendent that year. This led to a power struggle. Dunn removed McKinney from her position around January 2008.
The Texas Education Agency ranked the school “academically unacceptable” in 2008. In 2011, its graduation rate was only 50%. By its end, it served grades K-12. In 2014, it had 758 students.
The TEA announced the school’s performance was insufficient in December 2014. It had a failing academic grade in 2012-2013. Financial performance was poor in 2011-2012 and 2013-2014. The agency sought to revoke its charter permanently.
Debbie Ratcliffe of the TEA said early charter schools lacked the foundation to survive. The TEA had tried to correct the school’s problems twice with conservators and monitors. Girls and Boys was the largest Houston-area charter the TEA sought to close that year.
By August 2015, the school owed $157,835 to the IRS. The school closed that month. Officials had promised it would continue, but it didn’t. Creditors sued the school.
Peter Clark, the board president, said the school had $600,000 in debt in March 2014. Some believed the school’s attempt to buy property hurt its finances.
In 2014, Girls and Boys Preparatory Academy had three campuses. The primary campus was at 8282 Bissonnet Street. Another was at 8415 West Bellfort. Campuses were in Brays Oaks and Sharpstown.
The school didn’t have a standard curriculum until 2008. Then, they adopted one based on Fort Bend ISD’s. At its peak, the school had 750 students. In 2012, 85% were Black and fewer than 13% were Hispanic or Latino. Ninety percent were economically disadvantaged.
This story serves as a reminder that the educational landscape is ever-changing. Saint Mark Houston stands as a pillar. It contributes to the community’s strength. It offers hope.