08.05.08
Posted in News at 10:25 am by Paloma Cruz
Texas earns higher scores
Houston-area school districts that joined the state in earning top academic rating this year include: Cypress-Fairbanks, Deer Park, Galena Park, and Katy. The Houston Chronicle reports that HISD “nearly doubled its number of high-rated campuses and maintained its overall ‘acceptable’ rating.” This was due, in some part, to the fact that the Texas Education Agency did not hold the district accountable for the high school graduation or middle school dropout rates this year.
As a non-educator, I don’t understand how discounting the dropout rates is a good thing. Can someone explain it to me?
Quality of teachers is uneven
Research conducted for the Association of Texas Professional Educators shows that the quality of teachers is uneven between rich and poor school districts. The Houston Chronicle reports that “Wealthy, high-performing schools attract and keep experienced, higher-quality teachers, while schools with large numbers of low-income and minority students are left with less-experienced teachers, according to a new study.”
So… what’s the solution?
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07.31.08
Posted in News at 10:58 pm by Paloma Cruz
Moment of truth for 8th-graders
Thousands won’t get into high school this year unless they pass the TAKS test
– Houston Chronicle2
Thousands of eighth-graders across Texas will sit this week for the biggest test of their young lives.
For the first time in the state, eighth-graders must pass standardized exams in math and language arts to be promoted to high school automatically. The students had two chances during the school year, but that was not enough for many who failed the exams on both attempts.
[snip]
Statewide, nearly one in five eighth-graders has yet to pass the math portion of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills.
That’s at least 55,918 students who face retention in eighth grade if they again fail the test, which is being given for the third and final time today.
Texas is one of the toughest states when it comes to tying grade promotion to testing. Students in grades 3, 5 and — now — 8 must pass the TAKS in some subjects to advance. High school students must pass four exams to graduate.
[snip]
Footnotes
2 = article may expire in a few weeks.
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Posted in News at 10:58 pm by Paloma Cruz
HISD to unveil new charter school
– KHOU CBS Channel 111
Early next month a simple complex on the La Porte Freeway will host HISD’s newest charter school.
It will be called the Houston Advantage East End High School. The facility will be publically funded, privately run and will serve up to 450 students who struggle in traditional school settings.
[snip]
Footnotes
1 = may require free registration.
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07.11.08
Posted in News at 11:14 pm by Paloma Cruz
Welcome new Dickinson Independent School District principals:
- Kellie M. Shotwell is the new principal at Dickinson High School
- Traci Goodwin is the new principal at McAdams Junior High School
- Patricia Lankford is the new principal at Hughes Road Elementary School
- Stephanie Williams will become the principal of San Leon Elementary mid-year
Source: The Houston Chronicle
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07.03.08
Posted in News at 12:10 am by Paloma Cruz
Fewer than 10 percent of high school seniors are fit, tests show
– Houston Chronicle2
Results of a new state physical fitness test confirmed fears that Texas children, especially teenagers, are seriously out of shape.
The fitness assessment of 2.6 million students, touted as the largest exam of its type, shows that only 30 percent of third-graders reached healthy performance levels in all six areas tested. By the 12th grade, less than 10 percent made passing marks.
[snip]
Footnotes
2 = article may expire in a few weeks.
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06.30.08
Posted in News at 11:54 pm by Paloma Cruz
It’s official, the face and voice of the Houston Independent School District, has resigned effective the end of August 31st. Often criticized for his dealings with the media, mostly by the media itself, he’s leaving to join former HISD staffer Adriana Villarreal in her PR agency.
I’m curious to see who they choose to take his place.
FYI, I think this is Adriana Villarreal’s agency: Orquesta Communications.
Source: the Houston Chronicle’s School Zone blog.
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06.28.08
Posted in News at 5:10 am by Paloma Cruz
Houston ISD to get pay raises
The Houston Chronicle reports that there’s some good news for teachers of Houston Independent School District. “After some infighting this week, the Houston school board on Thursday unanimously approved a $1.6 billion budget that includes pay raises of at least 3 percent, plus millions more for library books, computers, fine arts programs and principal training.” The good news is that this doesn’t call for a tax-rate increase.
Keep your kids sharp over the summer
Need ideas on keeping your kids sharp this summer? The Houston Chronicle1 recently ran a story focusing on tips to do just that. A snippet:
Some tips for keeping kids sharp over the summer: Visit the library: Find out what interests your child and select books on that subject. Participate in free library summer programs and make time to read every day. Take educational trips: These can be low-cost visits to parks, museums, zoos and nature centers. Plan vacations with educational themes. Practice math daily: Measure items around the house or yard. Track daily temperatures. Add and subtract at the grocery store. Learn fractions while cooking. Play outside: Limit TV and video-game time during summer, just as during the school year. Intense physical activity and exercise contribute to healthy development. Keep a schedule: Continue daily routines during the summer with structure and limits. The key is providing a balance and keeping kids engaged. Prepare for fall: Find out what your child will be learning during the next school year by talking with teachers at that grade level. Preview concepts and materials over the summer. Source: Center for Summer Learning, Johns Hopkins University
Footnotes
1 = article may expire in a few weeks.
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06.20.08
Posted in News at 12:04 am by Paloma Cruz
Reports show that the new SAT hasn’t don’t anything to improve predictions of how well a student will do in college. A few stories on this topic:
Footnotes:
1 = Story found on the Houston Chronicle. Article may expire in a few weeks.
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06.13.08
Posted in News at 12:09 am by Paloma Cruz
South Houston, Kruse elementary schools receive grant
– reported by the Pasadena Citizen
Kruse and South Houston elementary schools will be expanding their school library collections with the help of a $6,000 grant from The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries.
[snip]
Congratulation, Kruse & South Houston.
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06.03.08
Posted in News at 1:30 am by Paloma Cruz
KIPP to graduate first senior class
– reported by the Houston Business Journal
KIPP Houston High School will graduate its first senior class on May 31.
The high school, the first created in the Knowledge Is Power Program network, opened in 2004 as a public charter school. It was
started with $680,000 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation –
part of an $8 million grant to the KIPP Foundation in 2005 to start
KIPP high schools across the country.
[snip]
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