Nonprofit will take control of 5 struggling schools in Waco (Texas) district

Five underperforming schools in the Waco (Texas) district that were at risk of closing will remain open for at least two years..

KXXV-TV reports that the Texas Education Agency has approved the Waco district's eligibility for an in-district charter partnership with Prosper Waco, a local nonprofit organization.

Under the proposed charter, Prosper Waco would oversee six campuses within the district. The partnership would clear the way for the six schools to receive an additional $3.5 million from the state.

The campuses included in the agreement are Alta Vista Elementary, Brook Avenue Elementary, G.W. Carver Middle School, J.H. Hines Elementary and Indian Spring Middle School.

South Waco Elementary, which is part of the proposal, is not at risk of closing, but it was included because of its proximity to Alta Vista.

"This is great news for our students and our community," Waco ISD's Director of Communications Kyle DeBeer says. "Our students will benefit from everything that Prosper Waco brings to the table and from the additional funding that these campuses will receive. It also means that these campuses will remain open and that decisions about them will continue to be made here in Waco."