MARLIN, TX — Students in Marlin ISD returned to school Tuesday with a lot of questions, just days after the district lost it's accreditation.
The district says schools will remain open for the remainder of the school year, but parents who fear the school will be closed next year say taking their kids to a new school is simply not an option.
"I don't have no transportation. I don't drive. I don't take my daughter. Here in town she walks to school, walks home from school, so I want to know what we gonna do?" said concerned Marlin parent Patrick Magouirk.
Right now Marlin ISD is waiting for an informal review, and the interim superintendent remains optimistic.
"We have made extensive change this year, very extensive. It's not a done deal yet. It's what the preliminary status was," said Marlin interim Superintendent Dr. Jean Bahney.
According to the Texas Education Agency, if the review goes well, it could place the district on an abatement agreement and Marlin ISD will be allowed to operate like normal.
Now parents with students in neighboring districts are wondering what the impact will be on them if the review doesn't go well.
According to the TEA, Marlin has 880 students enrolled. The surrounding area schools are smaller. In Riesel there are 681 students. Rosebud has 682 students, and Chilton has 528 students.
"I don't know. Marlin has had problems, I understand, for the last 10 years. We were kind of wondering if they do shut down, where would they go?" said Becky Kinder, who has two children in Riesel schools.
Kinder said if Marlin is forced to shutdown, overcrowding could be an issue in towns like Riesel.
"I know that the high school is already fairly crowded. I don't know that we would be able to take any of the transfer students," said Kinder.
For now parents shouldn't worry, and kids will be able to finish out the school year.
The informal review to reevaluate Marlin ISD is set to take place March 3.
