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    Super Moderator Newmexican's Avatar
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    TEA (Texas Education Agency) Investigates Progreso ISD

    TEA Investigates Progreso ISD

    The agency said the district was inflating attendance numbers

    VIDEO REPORT AT THE LINK.

    Jan 16, 2015 UPDATED: 12:07 AM CST Jan 17, 2015

    PROGRESO -One Rio Grande Valley school district reportedly owes the state over $2 million. The Texas Education Agency said Progreso ISD was inflating attendance numbers and letting kids from Mexico attend their schools.

    This TEA investigation states the district knew this was going on and kept letting it happen.

    The campuses are lined up and down the street in Progreso. One of them sits empty because it is still under construction.

    The project was halted after a bribery scandal last year and may sit there longer.

    Catalina Torres has children in the district and remembers those past problems.

    More problems have surfaced for the district. Interim-Superintendent Dr. Ismael Cantu said it is concerning.

    A TEA investigation revealed the district was serving children outside of Texas and claiming them for funding purposes.

    Investigators said they were taken back and forth from Mexico in private cars over the Progreso International Bridge.

    The TEA report also revealed the school district was reporting perfect attendance for the district’s alternative school. They found that multiple students were absent, and the former principal directed his staff not to report those absences.

    The district's free and reduced-price lunch counts were overstated for one month in 2012. The TEA said those numbers were inflated by 1,500.

    The state expects to be paid back.

    “The way it's looking, it's going to be very difficult for us to do that. We are hoping we can find a way we can do it, but I just don't see how,” said Cantu.

    He said they project they will have to pay the state back $2.5 million. This money comes from the average daily attendance funds. The state gives districts money for each student that fills a seat.

    That is money that will be taken away for school projects, according to Cantu.

    “There are a lot of things that need to be done. And that science technology building that's been sitting there. That's big because only 40 percent of it has been completed,” he said
    .

    Torres understands the kids want to get an education from here, but this puts her tax dollars and others at risk.

    “I think it's really bad, and it's something that's very sad because many will stop learning. So, what's going to happen?” she asked.

    A question the district will have to answer.

    Cantu said this is an international problem along our border. The investigation found that some of the children coming over are U.S. citizens but live in Mexico with their parents. Some used fake addresses.

    He said, “They have to establish residency in Texas. Once they establish residency, they can come in.”

    The interim superintendent and his staff are making sure they control the problem.

    “We have been making home visits. Just before the holidays, it came to our attention that there were some vans transporting kids still. We have some documentation in reference to that,” he said.

    The district is making it required for all students to show even more proof that they reside in the district.

    Parents have to show their child’s birth certificate, social security, vaccine card, proof of residency and a parent ID.

    The TEA said districts cannot claim state funding for children who are not residents in Texas. They said it is up to the district to handle how they let students who are not residents in Texas attend their schools.

    However, children from Mexico or any child from out of Texas cannot be claimed for state funding.

    Texas Education Agency - Progreso ISD Special Accreditation Investigation

  2. #2
    Senior Member vistalad's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Newmexican View Post
    PROGRESO -One Rio Grande Valley school district reportedly owes the state over $2 million. The Texas Education Agency said Progreso ISD was inflating attendance numbers and letting kids from Mexico attend their schools.

    This TEA investigation states the district knew this was going on and kept letting it happen.
    When 'Bama doesn't even attempt to hide his own flouting of the fundamental roles of the institutions of our national government, why would anybody be surprised to learn that an American school district is putting money ahead of serving Americans.
    ******************************
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    American jobs for American workers

    Fair trade, not free trade

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