DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – In an effort to bolster choices for parents, Dallas ISD trustee Lew Blackburn announced Thursday that an elementary campus set to close could be transformed into a charter school.

"We need to offer parents better alternatives", Blackburn said Thursday while explaining the charter school proposal.

Under the plan, Dallas ISD would actually operate an 'in-district' charter school.

Statistics show the second largest school district in the state has seen hundreds of students opt for charter schools rather than stay with their neighborhood campuses.

"If we can come up with ways of teaching our children, I believe we should be open to the idea", Blackburn said.

Experts say charter schools –– which are publicly funded operations –– are one of the fastest growing education arenas in Texas.

Education advocates and entities that seek alternatives to traditional school operations often lead the schools.

In North Texas, more than 50 charter schools operate more than 100 campuses in communities as far north as Denton and as south as Duncanville.

For Dallas, N.W. Harlee Elementary is one of 11 campuses set to close as part of the district-approved consolidation plan.

Blackburn says a coalition of education advocates, researchers and parents have inquired about using the school as a charter campus. Under the plan, Dallas ISD would provide school staffers, but the school's direction would have complete autonomy from the district's education plan.

"If they (charter advocates) want to have a longer school day or year, they can," Blackburn said.

Currently, Dallas ISD operates one school as an in-district charter. Gabe P. Allen Elementary School is an academically acceptable  school, based on TEA accountability ratings.

The school is managed and operated outside the parameters of traditional DISD schools, but still uses Dallas ISD employees as teachers and administrators.

There are in-district charters in Austin and Houston also. The Dallas School Board would have to approve any in-district charter operation.