KISD trustees are scheduled to consider approving a three-year contract that would shift day-to-day educational control of Manor Middle School to Third Future Schools, a Colorado-based charter network. The decision represents a significant move as the district faces state accountability pressures and seeks improvement strategies.
If approved during Tuesday evening's workshop meeting, the agreement would move authority over staffing, curriculum, and budget to the charter operator at the end of the current school year, while the district continues to manage the facility. The building remains in district hands, but the instructional model and personnel decisions would be directed by the partner network. This split arrangement keeps Killeen ISD responsible for the physical school while Third Future Schools handles the educational operations.
The arrangement is framed as an improvement strategy for Manor through an intervention model known as a Senate Bill 1882 Partnership, a Texas law signed in 2017 that offers incentives for school districts to partner with open-enrollment charter schools, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, or government agencies. KISD administrator Terri Osborne said the district is pursuing "1882 benefits" for two primary reasons: added financial value per student allotment and a two-year accountability pause. This gives the charter partner time to implement changes without immediate state pressure while the district receives additional funding support. For readers interested in education policy in Texas, other districts have partnered with education providers to reshape their schools as accountability measures evolve.