Can He Save This School In Five Months?

Just one thing is written on the dry erase board in Principal Mike Walker’s office: ‘Goal for campus is C or better. What evidence points to that today?’

“Our big focus has just been making sure teachers are aligned to the curriculum, that they’re teaching what needs to be taught,” Walker says.

Walker is the new principal of Dobie Middle School. He has been tasked with improving state accountability scores at Dobie with new staff and teachers. If he doesn’t, the school will be handed over to a charter school. And the clock is already ticking. Students will start testing after Thanksgiving to see if scores are improving.

“I would just say, we’re very hopeful, we feel like we’re on the right track,” says Walker.

Principal Walker at his desk in his office at Dobie Middle School. On the white board, a single message is written: ‘Goal for campus is C or better. What evidence points to that today?’

Walker came into the role over the summer as part of the Austin ISD turnaround plan for the campus. Dobie is one of three schools that had to begin turnaround plans this fall, after consecutive years of low state accountability scores. These plans have to be approved by the Texas Education Agency. AISD opted for the Accelerated Campus Excellence, or ACE, model for Dobie. This model allows the district to manage the campus, and requires data-driven instructional practices, enhanced student support services, and extended learning opportunities, according to the TEA. The model also requires that staff have a proven track record of improving student outcomes. Teachers at Dobie had to reapply for their jobs. Several said they were told they could not reapply, only to be told later that they did qualify to apply under the turnaround plan. Only 16% of teachers returned.

“When I first got here at the end of July, we needed probably 25 teachers,” Walker says. “The top priority for me literally was staffing.”

With only a few months to recruit and hire teachers that met the turnaround plan criteria, Walker says they still had a handful of vacancies when the school year started in August. But he says a drop in enrollment meant they weren’t as impacted by staffing shortages.

“Our enrollment is down,” Walker says. “Last year, I think at the beginning of the year, they might have been closer to 500 students, give or take. Right now we’re right about at 400 students.”

Lower enrollment has been a major issue across Austin ISD. The AISD Board of Trustees approved a consolidation plan in November that would close 10 schools across the district in an effort to close budget gaps and balance out ‘empty seats’. In their initial consolidation proposal, AISD noted that Dobie houses a small percentage of the students zoned to the campus. But Walker says he isn’t worried about enrollment numbers.

“I haven’t made that a focus,” Walker says. “We have who we have, let’s teach who’s here, let’s do the work.”

That work mainly includes improving STAAR test scores, and it’s changed day-to-day operations on campus. Students have literacy and math classes every day instead of an A and B schedule. Class blocks have also been extended, and one day a week students have extended class time. Walker says they have received positive feedback from parents.

'Dobie' is written in the chainlink fence outside the school. If scores don't improve, the campus may be managed by a charter.

“I feel like that’s an affirmation of what we’ve been working on,” Walker says. “But at the same time, in no way is that a put-down of who was here because obviously, the data shows that they made some significant growth.”

Recent accountability scores showed that Dobie students had increased their accountability score, going from a 46 in the 2023-24 school year to a 59 in the 24-25 school year. While the 13 point increase showed growth, the numbers still landed Dobie with an F rating, triggering the turnaround plan and replacement of staff. Walker is hoping his new team can continue the work started by previous Dobie teachers.

“My focus is making sure that we put out the best learning opportunity that we can for kids, and I really believe that the rest will follow.”