MIDLAND, Texas — Midland ISD continues to have community meetings about what to do with the Young Women's Leadership Academy. The most recent meeting was held at Washington STEM, the YWLA's potential new home.
Midland ISD is a growing school district, and the YWLA continues to grow along with it.
"When the Young Women’s Leadership Academy came to the district, we knew that they would be adding grades every year so that their capacity needs would increase," Elana Ladd, MISD's chief communication officer said.
The YWLA is operating out of portable buildings for the time being. If they move to Washington STEM, what would it mean for the students there?
"They would have several options," Ladd said. "They can apply to go to a different school of choice within the district, and the district has been very clear that the STEM programming that exists here will be transferred to other campuses in the district. So STEM education is not going away."
If the board of trustees approves the move, the YWLA could move into it's new home ahead of the upcoming school year.
"Were this to take place, and again no votes are happening tonight, but if this is the direction that the district goes in, this would be effective for next school year," Ladd said. "So the kids that are here now will finish out the school year."
According to the district, teachers on contracts could also be moved around if the YWLA takes over Washington STEM.
Regardless of how the district moves forward, there will be some financial burden it will have to look at.
"The option one to stay on the campus of Jones in portables," Ladd said. "That, of course, has a financial cost to create parking and bring in the additional portables needed for that classroom space."
If the district moves to bring the YWLA to Washington STEM, there would be a cost associated with that as well. Converting Washington STEM to the YWLA would cost around $750,000 to $850,000.
The Midland ISD board of trustees plans to address the issue once again and possibly vote on it in the January board meeting.