Compass Academy Charter School is expanding once again with more students, and eventually buildings.
The school opened in 2011 and is a public charter school so it is funded by the state based on attendance and does not receive property taxes.
It has grown rapidly since it began and now has 1,401 students in grades kindergarten through 12. There is a waiting list of 771 students.
They’re hoping to have some new buildings going up in the spring.
“We’re expanding our enrollment. We’re hoping to do that next year. We’re in the process of adding these four, 10 classroom portable buildings that will house seven through 12. Our plans are to add approximately 600 students next year,” Superintendent Kathy Killingsworth said.
That is if they get all their infrastructure in place, Assistant Superintendent Jason Inman said.
“We started on this project in June so that we could hopefully have it all in place for the next school year,” Killingsworth said.
The small student to teacher ratio has contributed to the popularity of Compass, Killingsworth said. They have 82 teachers.
“Plus, we focus on academics. We’ve added sports and a lot of things; fine arts and all of that as well to have a well balanced program,” Killingsworth said.
Inman said it’s the small school environment in a big town.
The new buildings are meant to increase enrollment to have sufficient funds to build Phase 3. Compass is funded based on attendance and does not receive property tax revenue.
“The increase in enrollment will help us incur the cost of the debt,” Killingsworth said.
She noted that the school will accept new applications in February.
“We have probably 1,000 applications every year and we don’t have many slots to fill,” Killingsworth said.
Generally speaking, Inman said, once a student arrives at Compass they stay.
“Especially in elementary after kindergarten fills up there’s not very many spots in the lower elementary grades,” Inman added.
Siblings have first preference, Killingsworth said.
“We have whole families here, which is really nice that all your kids go to one school,” she added.
The portables were not part of the long-term plans at Compass, but they need the enrollment to pay for the bonded indebtedness.
But the portables will help fund the brick and mortar structures, which will be for junior and senior high. As it is now, the addition will be two stories.
“It’s a temporary fix that we may use for several years, because it takes three years to finish your plans, contractors, construction; all that, so four years from now is the bare minimum to have Phase 3 finished,” Killingsworth said.
Meanwhile, they will still be growing.
“I think it just means that our school is very healthy to have the number of students, plus a waiting list. I don’t think we’ll have trouble filling the seats, which is good,” Killingsworth said.
Plans are to hire more teachers. Killingsworth said their expansion is going to add one section to each grade level, kindergarten through fifth.
“… Then six through 12, we already have the teachers available to pick up the increased enrollment,” she added.
Kindergarten and sixth grade have the largest enrollments.
“Parents bring the kids over in sixth grade because they want the smaller environment for the middle school,” Inman said.
Killingsworth said their outside entry doors are closed all the time and there is an intercom outside. You have to identify yourself.
Killingsworth said they have parents call ahead to pick up their students.
“One of the advantages here to me is the ladies at the front desk are able to recognize the parents and know who’s supposed to be here. It gives them the more personal interaction. They’re able to just oh, I see so-and-so’s mama coming up. I can buzz her without her having to dig in her purse or something to get those things out. That makes it more of a family environment, I guess,” Inman said.
Last year, Compass graduated 57 students and this year it’s predicted to be 79.
Compass earned a C this year in state accountability ratings. Killingsworth said it was because of their graduation rate.
The best of four-year, five-year, or six-year graduation rate (or annual dropout rate if no graduation rate is available) is factored into the student achievement domain, according to the Texas Education Agency. The state rate lags a year behind and Compass’ first graduating class was last year.
“Our scores had been low because we haven’t had graduates. Last year was our first year for graduates, but they use prior year information that looked like we didn’t have graduates and we didn’t in ‘21. Next year we should be OK,” Killingsworth said.
