SB 1882 Partnership

In 2017, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1882, which grants additional funding to school districts that agree to work collaboratively with non-profit partners. These new partnerships offer districts the opportunity to expand school options, bring in targeted expertise for innovation and support, and empower schools with greater autonomy.

In 2021, Public Montessori in Action International has entered into a Partnership Agreement with San Antonio ISD to lead the unique and innovative work at Rodriguez Montessori Elementary and Steele Montessori Academy.

Campus Principals:
Alicia Craig, Rodriguez Montessori Elementary, San Antonio, TX
Natasha Dennis, Steele Montessori Academy, San Antonio, TX
In 2017, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1882, which grants additional funding to school districts that agree to work collaboratively with non-profit partners. These new partnerships offer districts the opportunity to expand school options, bring in targeted expertise for innovation and support, and empower schools with greater autonomy.
When considering a school partnership, the district will seek mission-aligned non-profit organizations with a strong track record of success. For example, an International Baccalaureate (IB) school might consider partnering with an organization that specializes in supporting IB schools. A school wanting to elevate its fine arts program might partner with a local arts organization that could offer professional artistic expertise for students and teachers. After extensive vetting by district and campus staff and authentic dialogue with the school’s community, the ISD Board will approve a management agreement that authorizes the non-profit partner to co-manage the school with the district. In order to become an official 1882 partnership and qualify for increased state funding, the ISD and the partner must apply to and be approved by the Texas Education Agency.
Partnership schools that are approved by the Texas Education Agency will receive increased state funding, estimated at $1,000 per student on an annual basis. For example, a school with 500 students may be eligible for $500,000 in additional funds annually. In addition, the school will receive support from a mission-aligned organization with expertise in whatever the school needs to be successful, whether it be academic coaching, professional development, new student learning opportunities, or fundraising support.
The partner organization will create an 1882 governing board comprised of community stakeholders and business professionals with the experience and passion necessary to empower the school to achieve its goals. The governing board will be involved in selecting and evaluating the school’s principal and will collaborate with the campus in selecting staff, the curriculum, the school calendar, and student assessments. The district will hold the partner accountable for strong academic and financial performance through a board-approved performance contract and regular monitoring by district staff.
Senate Bill 1882 partnerships ultimately exist to improve student outcomes, so partnership agreements are written to ensure strong accountability and give the district the flexibility to end the partnership if it’s not benefiting students and staff. The ISD board will authorize partnerships for a specified term, along with performance reviews as delineated in the Partnership Agreement. If a performance evaluation during a review cycle shows that the partner is not meeting the district’s academic and operational expectations, the district may end the partnership or place the partner on probation. In addition, the district can end the partnership if the partner does not follow the terms of the agreement.
txpartnerships.org and FAQ: 1882 Partnerships, SAISD

Laura Steele Montessori Academy

Cleto L. Rodriguez Montessori Elementary

PMAI-SAISD Board

Dr. Olivia Hernandez

CHAIR
Dr. Hernandez is a proud and confident Latina who values her Mexican American roots and celebrates her bilingualism and biculturalism everyday. She has over 40 years of expereince in education in teaching, administrative, and district leadership roles to further equity and access for all students. She currently serves as a Consulting Partner for the Southwest Division at The New Teacher Project.
Jessica Conrad

MEMBER
Jessica Conrad is a multi-passionate community builder intent on traversing as many storylines in her own life as possible. She loves nothing more than connecting people with the passion and power to bring important stories to life or inspiring friends, family members, acquaintances (and pretty much anyone else she comes in contact with) to seek out and celebrate transformative experiences from underrepresented perspectives.
As an eight-year Air Force Veteran in the Oral & Maxillofacial surgical field, a professional chef, caterer, world-traveler, trivia host, public speaker, realtor, and overall super-connector, Jessica harnesses the unique gifts gained through the diversity of her successes and overall life experiences to encourage others to expand their worldviews and experiment with their own life stories while practicing empathy and compassion for themselves and others.
Nora Deveny-Valiela

SECRETARY
Nora had the opportunity to attend Montessori schools from the age of 3 to 10 years old. She is currently the Montessori Resident Coach at Winn Montessori, a public school in Austin, TX. She holds an AMS certification in lower elementary education and a master’s degree in Latin American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. She also holds a certification in Positive Discipline and Orton Gillingham. She has taught at Montessori schools in Maryland, Colorado, North Carolina, and Texas.