Arcadia High School tells TEA it will use small teams, teaching-fellow pipeline and daily data blocks to close gaps

Arcadia Schools’ applicant team told the Texas Education Agency during a May 7 capacity interview that Arcadia High School will open as a small, team-based high school and use a teaching-fellow pipeline, daily data-review practices and targeted blocks of instruction to accelerate students who enter with academic gaps.

Arcadia’s proposed superintendent, Mohammed Maroof, said the school’s design “focuses on 3 core priorities,” including “innovative instructional practices for every student” and a classroom structure led by an expert teacher, a lead teacher and three teaching fellows. Maroof said the school will open with ninth grade only, a 12-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio and multiple supports intended to give “consistent support” to students who need remediation.

The approach matters because the applicant team told TEA that many feeder middle schools in the area show substantial achievement gaps. Arcadia’s leaders said the model tries to front-load support (double blocks in English/ELAR and daily data review) so teachers can identify and reteach misunderstandings quickly instead of waiting for periodic assessments.

Arcadia’s instructional model centers on three elements: a central launch of daily lessons by an expert teacher, small-group work led by teaching fellows or lead teachers, and an immediate, same‑day reteach cycle for students who do not demonstrate mastery. Alex Shube, CEO of School Empowerment Network and a proposed board member, described the daily cycle: “Any student not demonstrating mastery by the end of the second block on that same day we'll be earmarked for after school tutoring support.” The team said lesson blocks will be chunked into short, objective‑aligned activities so staff can identify precise misconceptions and target reteach activities.

Teachers will use high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) and weekly planning and practice sessions. The school plans two weekly two‑hour teacher meetings: one to prepare upcoming lessons and one to rehearse delivery. Staff will also hold daily or near‑daily data meetings to analyze student work and determine next steps, the applicants said.

Special education and emergent bilingual (ELL) services are built into the model. Arcadia proposes a SPED or ESL‑certified educator on each teaching team and a director of student support services to oversee progress monitoring, compliance and tutoring schedules. Applicant Anthony De Leon said the model ensures “every teaching team will have either a SPED and ESL certified teacher or [someone] working towards certification,” and that the MTSS structure and an advisory program will identify students who need tiered supports. For ELL students, the team said two blocks of instruction will emphasize ELAR and English-language acquisition; some students may be pulled from foreign language classes for targeted language work but would still have access to electives and graduation pathways.

The application also describes opportunities for internships, dual credit and CTE exposure; the team said IEP teams will consider transition planning and internships for students receiving special education services.

On classroom staffing, teaching fellows will be recruited locally and could include career changers, recent grads, retirees and community members. The applicants said they are negotiating pathways with universities for certification credit for teaching fellows and that some fellows may remain in fellow roles rather than seeking certification immediately.

Arcadia’s leaders told TEA staff they intend technology to support—but not replace—teacher judgment. On the use of automated sorting or AI-assisted grading, an applicant explained that technology would “very rapidly sort in real time student answers into the categories that are pre established,” but teachers will review those sorts during their daily data blocks and design the reteach or extension activities.

The team said the model’s advisory periods, counselor supports and small-group structure are intended to reduce disciplinary incidents by building relationships and offering early interventions. High‑level admission or removal decisions would be escalated to the board when required.

Arcadia’s application and interview responses included multiple operational details—staffing ratios, scheduled weekly PD, the planned role of the director of student support services and the school’s daily lesson/reteach cycle—that TEA staff said they will evaluate as part of the commissioner’s recommendation to the State Board of Education.

The TEA interview concluded with the agency noting applicants will be notified of the commissioner’s proposal by May 28.