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A San Antonio magnet high school for the arts could soon be closing its doors if officials in the Northeast Independent School District can’t come up with a plan to continue funding it. More from TPR’s Terry Gildea.
January 14, 2010 · The Northeast School of the Arts provides its 262 high school students with comprehensive training for professional careers in theater, dance, cinema, music and the literary arts. But Northeast ISD officials announced this week that the program may have to be scaled back or eliminated completely because of decreases in state funding and property tax revenue. Richard Middleton is the superintendent for Northeast ISD.
“Here we are with a program that undoubtedly is one of the most unique fine arts programs we’ve ever seen. The question is how can we afford the extra cost of NESA versus perhaps a consolidation. And that’s the issue we’re debating and talking with our staff now,” Middleton said.
Right now NESA is being singled out among the school district's thirteen magnet schools, because Middleton says it is the most expensive, about fifteen hundred dollars more per student than other schools. But he says other programs will face cut backs. Another solution might be charging tuition or taxing the families of students attending the school who live outside the district.
“We started this program on our own, and we have shouldered the cost of it, and welcomed other students from outside our school district into this program. But I certainly am going to be very welcome to that discussion of finding other funding,” said Middleton.
Middleton says he’s also open to pursuing grants or private sources of money to save a program he helped create. No final decision has been made yet. Officials will meet in February to decide what to do next.
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