Frequently Asked Questions
What is ETAA?
ETAA stands for East Texas Advanced Academies. ETAA is comprised of 6 in-district charter schools within Longview ISD including East Texas Montessori Prep Academy (ETMPA), Bramlette STEAM Academy, Johnston-McQueen Elementary, J.L. Everhart IB Elementary, Ware Montessori Academy, and Forest Park IB Magnet School. It is a non-profit organization which will operate and oversee the Longview ISD in-district charter schools.
Why do this now?
While districts have long been able to partner with non-profit organizations to operate schools, few have done so. To maximize the potential of this type of partnership, the state Legislature signed Senate Bill 1882 into law in 2017. The bill encourages districts to use this type of partnership to improve student outcomes by offering two benefits: approved partnerships may receive additional state funding for the partnership school, and schools identified as Improvement Required (IR) under the 2017-2018 accountability rating are eligible to receive a two-year exemption from specific accountability interventions.
What is an in-district charter school?
In-district charter schools are public schools of choice, meaning that families choose them for their children. In- district charter schools are accountable for academic results and for upholding the promises made in their charters. Like any Longview ISD school, schools within ETAA must demonstrate performance in the areas of academic achievement, financial management, and organizational stability. Students in grades 3-8 and high school EOC courses will still take state mandated STAAR tests, and the schools will be held to TEA accountability standards.
ETAA is a partnership with Longview ISD and is still accountable to the LISD school board and LISD’s superintendent, Dr. Wilcox, giving updates and specific measures on the progress of the schools under the ETAA management to each on a regularly scheduled basis.
How are in-district charter schools funded?
As public schools, charter schools are tuition-free. They are funded according to enrollment levels and receive public funds on a per pupil basis. Charter schools are entitled to federal categorical funding for which their students are eligible, such as Title I and Special Education monies.
What is ETAA’s charter management organization?
ETAA is a network of 6 public in-district charter schools across Longview ISD. All of our schools are managed by a highly experienced team of Administrators under the oversight of the ETAA Board of Directors. They provide wide-ranging support including management and coaching of school leaders, professional development, staff recruitment, and more. The ETAA partnerships emphasises collaboration between the network and campus principals. That way, the school leadership team and staff can focus on teaching and learning.
Why should my child attend an ETAA campus?
ETAA offers 6 schools of choice with K-8 pathways comprising of STEAM, Montessori, IB, and technical campuses all aligned to ensure a seamless student transition from one campus to the next. Parents and students have multiple pathways designed to prepare our students for a workforce, college, or military future.
What makes ETAA strong?
We are “culture conscious campuses” with shared principles.
Our students are exceptional. Our work is to bring out of them what already exists within.
We say what we mean and do what we say. We set high expectations for students and teachers – and hold each other accountable. We promote cooperation, consideration, accountability, and social awareness.
We teach with purpose and align all we do to state standards. Our curriculum is vertically aligned across grade bands and tightly focused on what students will be asked to demonstrate. We strive not only for mastery, but for excellence.
We create structure to drive to deeper learning, faster. We have clearly-articulated rules, procedures, and ways we deliver instruction (like the station-rotation model in grades K-8). With the right guardrails in place and in alignment with the Montessori philosophy, teachers are able to serve as facilitators and “chief learners,” not “sages on stages.”
We create reflective space for teachers to teach and to grow. Our leaders model reflective practices and behaviors and encourage constructive communication, collaboration, and criticism across all staff. We create meaningful time for professional learning, weekly.
We listen to feedback and always strive to improve. We give our staff, parents, and community opportunities to engage in the educational process. We hear their input and make changes based on it. We are stronger together.
What are the cornerstone characteristics of an ETAA campus?
Our schools will be safe and inclusive.
We will prepare our students to be career and college ready.
We develop the whole child.
We develop critical thinkers and problem solvers.
We build strong student and staff relationships.
We engage the community to facilitate opportunities for our students.
What are the goals of ETAA?
We will deliver exceptional outcomes for our students by reaching and maintaining a minimum of four distinctions across all campuses, where applicable.
By 2022, we will:
Outperform all surrounding school districts and school districts across the state, with similar demographics, in all of the state indices.
Achieve 100% growth toward closing the achievement gap.
Decrease the mobility rate at each of the five campuses.
Increase student enrollment and socioeconomic diversity; attracting more White and more affluent students from surrounding schools and districts. Research shows that all students benefit when there is greater socioeconomic diversity within a school.
Do the schools within ETAA have admissions requirements?
Priority of admission is given to students who live within a school’s zone boundary and children of ETAA employees. Any additional admissions requirements would be outlined in the parent handbook.
Is the ETAA discipline policy different than Longview ISD’s discipline policy?
In order to best learn and thrive, we believe students need a caring and structured environment. To achieve this, ETAA schools will follow Longview ISD’s discipline matrix so that expectations and consequences are predictable and consistent in all classrooms.
How does student accountability with TEA work for the in-district charter schools that comprise ETAA?
Students who attend an ETAA in-district charter school remain in LISD district from TEA’s perspective. The district reports ETAA students as they would any other district student.