When I was a kid, my neighborhood school — in the same neighborhood where I live now — was closed. I spent the better part of an hour every day on a bus going across town to a different school that we were told would give us a better education. I wondered: What is wrong with our neighborhood that no one wants to send their children here? What is wrong with our neighborhood that we don’t have the same facilities as others do and instead have closed schools?

That experience had a profound effect on me - one that I carry with me to this day. I fervently believe that every child in Houston should have access to a high-quality public school in their own neighborhood: a school that helps them realize their extraordinary potential. We need terrific neighborhood schools so we can have thriving communities throughout our city.

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I was disappointed when the Houston Independent School District board of trustees recently decided against pursuing a partnership with the Coalition for Educational Excellence and Equity in Houston, a nonprofit organization I helped form.

I hope Superintendent Grenita Lathan succeeds in pulling all of the schools out of “improvement required” status this academic year to avoid sanctions and for the benefit of the children.

According to state law, public schools that have been in improvement-required status for five years or more will either be closed. There are presently four schools in HISD that may trigger state intervention if they do not improve their status this school year, and more than 20 schools did not meet state accountability standards last year. The way I see it: Our school trustees, parents and community leaders need to work together, or those in Austin will attempt to decide the fate of Houston’s public schools.

We must be willing to put everything on the line for our kids — to be open and receptive to new ways of approaching this critical work. For this reason, I will continue to work in collaboration with a group of distinguished Houstonians and grassroots leaders through the Coalition for Educational Excellence and Equity in Houston.

Let me be clear: This group does not seek to be a state-authorized, open-enrollment charter school. It does not wish to take over any school boards or privatize any public schools. It seeks to partner with HISD to manage and support the lowest-performing, most vulnerable campuses in Houston. It believes the key to turnaround efforts is to leverage the vast resources, programs, and other assets that exist within our dynamic city.

The Coalition stands ready should a future opportunity for collaboration arise—and I hope it will. Our effort is based on the best practices of the most successful, in-district public school transformation organizations in the United States.

For instance, over the last 10 years, the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools has shown that underperforming schools in the most vulnerable communities can be saved and outcomes dramatically improved for students. It is an example of how collaboration in support of traditional public schools leads to the braiding of philanthropic and public resources to lift up the most underserved schools. The Partnership’s model provides valuable lessons for Houston and is based on great leaders, highly effective teaching and engaged and empowered communities. And its funds are invested in arts and literacy initiatives, after-school programs, student leadership, restorative justice, parent engagement and education and in essential leadership training for principals and teachers.

The Coalition has sought to work with our local school district and directly with school leaders, administrators and staff to implement strategies to improve student performance. Through philanthropy and increased state funding alike (approximately $1,200 more per student), we sought to ensure public schools have the resources they need and that everyone who values education wants to see.

The group we formed will continue to serve as an advocate for our most vulnerable schools and we will work side-by-side with our communities. But without action by HISD trustees, the true value of this partnership will not be fully realized, and our underperforming schools will continue to fail our children.

Closing the achievement gap must be a priority for all Houstonians — it has significant implications for our students but also for our city. We need to face today’s tough reality: Too many students in some of our most vulnerable communities attend schools that are not putting them on a path to thrive in a 21st century economy. This harsh reality, despite the efforts of many, has not changed for decades. To be clear, our students are not failing. We, as adults, are failing to deliver for our children.

We need to send the message that all communities have value — and that starts with a traditional public school that fosters educational excellence and equity for all students in all zip codes.

Turner is the mayor of Houston.