Accountability/Accreditation

Novice ISD is warned by TEA
Novice Independent School District’s state accreditation was put on warning status Wednesday by the Texas Education Agency, but the tiny school system has implemented changes in hopes of heading in a new direction. The district of about 100 students 35 miles south of Abilene is one of 20 districts or charters in the state that didn’t receive full accreditation status Wednesday, and the only one in the Big Country. TEA reports 1,198 received full accreditation status. While some districts like Novice just got a warning or probation status, the state outright denied accreditation for three charters and one school district for the first time since the state accreditation system was implemented in 2006. [ View Article ] Mar 11, 2010, 08:35

State revokes accreditations of San Marcos school, Houston district
The state is revoking the accreditation of a San Marcos charter school and has warned an Austin charter school that its accreditation is in jeopardy, Texas Education Agency announced Wednesday. The Houston school district is having its accreditation withheld as multiple cheating claims are investigated, agency officials said. The warnings and revocations are separate from the state's accountability system and fall under a 2006 law that calls for reviews of academic and financial performance of public school districts. Three schools and one district — Kendleton, near Houston — will have their accreditations revoked. It is the first time a district or a charter school has lost its status under the law.[ View Article ] Mar 11, 2010, 08:20

Kendleton ISD accreditation status revoked
The news was not good for Kendleton Independent School District in Fort Bend County as Texas Education Agency officials released the results of the Agency’s annual accreditation report. This is the first time a district or charter has lost its status as a public school under the accreditation system implemented in 2006 under new legislative requirements, according to a TEA officials. [ View Article ] Mar 11, 2010, 08:00

Congratulations Nathan Adams on receiving a national award!
Nathan Adams Elementary School is one of 13 schools in the nation to receive the National Excellence in Urban Education Award. The award, given by the National Center for Urban School Transformation, requires that schools meet certain criteria, including having a high number of students demonstrating proficiency on state assessments and meeting certain graduation and attendance requirements. "This is a very exciting and inspiring news," said DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa. "I thank Principal Jean McGill and the staff at Nathan Adams Elementary for their efforts, commitment and dedication to improve student academic achievement." According to DISD, Nathan Adams is the second school in the district to receive he national award. James Bonham Elementary School received it in 2009. [ View Article ] Mar 11, 2010, 07:32

TEA NUMBERS RATE SCHOOL DISTRICT GRADUATION RATES
When it’s time to hand out apples for student achievement, comparing apples to oranges can make it confusing. Using online resources, the Kilgore News Herald has sifted through statistics in an effort to provide a comparative analysis of 10 area school districts in several specific categories. There are literally hundreds of ways to compare data and break it down by grade level and subject matter – and it’s impossible to completely even the playing field in any diverse grouping.[ View Article ] Mar 10, 2010, 08:10

TEA NUMBERS RATE SCHOOL DISTRICT GRADUATION RATES
When it’s time to hand out apples for student achievement, comparing apples to oranges can make it confusing. Using online resources, the Kilgore News Herald has sifted through statistics in an effort to provide a comparative analysis of 10 area school districts in several specific categories [ View Article ] Mar 10, 2010, 08:03

Who’s next? And who is really to blame?
Excellent Post a Must Read! Apparently, we now have a national initiative underway to replicate the Central Falls, Rhode Island drama across poor urban and inner urban fringe schools and districts. This national initiative places blame for school failure directly on school principals (who, by necessity must be replaced if reform is to happen) and on at least 50% of each failing school’s teachers. Once again, there is no attention paid to whether or not the STATE has, in fact, fulfilled its obligation to provide (or ensure) equitable and adequate financial resources for the district or schools under fire. None – no mention of it whatsoever. Clearly, it must be the principal’s and teachers’ fault if a school fails, regardless of the resources available to that school or host district??? [ View Article ] Mar 8, 2010, 08:32

Houston: HISD cheating inquiry stalls accreditation; Status is now ‘pending’ as TEA probes reports of test irregularities
Houston ISD's accreditation will be withheld as multiple cheating claims are investigated in Texas' largest school system. Texas Education Agency officials announced Friday that HISD's status will be changed to “pending” when accreditations are released Wednesday for the state's 1,228 districts and charter schools. [ View Article ] Mar 8, 2010, 08:01

Lubbock: School districts try to help students in trying times make it to graduation
THE A-J IS focusing on homelessness with stories and multimedia in print and online. Keep reading for more coverage. Ann had never wanted for anything in her life. At the age of 43, she certainly never expected to find herself and her 8-year-old daughter homeless. [ View Article ] Mar 8, 2010, 08:01

No Child Left Behind vs. Texas system
No Child Left Behind has been the federal law used to judge schools since 2002, but Texas also has its own system for rating schools that pre-dates it. The systems operate simultaneously in Texas, which can get confusing. Both systems rely on scores on state achievement tests, among other factors, but differences in the ratings systems can mean divergent labels for the same school. In both systems, schools undergo improvement efforts and face sanctions if they repeatedly fail. Here are some key differences when judging high schools:[ View Article ] Mar 8, 2010, 07:50

10 Dallas ISD high schools fail to make the grade time and again
With their school's future at stake, parents recently gathered in Pinkston High School's cavernous auditorium to hear about exciting changes – an academic overhaul that could save the school from closing.[ View Article ] Mar 8, 2010, 07:45

Houston: Cheating allegations tighten TAKS test security; State switches exam essay topic, sends monitors to two HISD schools
Houston ISD fourth-graders took the TAKS writing test under tighter security Wednesday as officials investigate allegations of cheating by educators at Jefferson Elementary School. Two employees at the north Houston campus were reassigned Wednesday after teachers revealed last week that they had been given the writing topic ahead of time. [ View Article ] Mar 5, 2010, 08:32

Houston ISD: School Improvement Officers Named
We conducted a nationwide search to fill these important positions and received more than 200 applications from all over the country. Finding leaders with values that align with those found in the Board of Education's Declaration of Beliefs and Vision was extremely important. We have a good mixture of leading educators from HISD and across the country and I am very excited to welcome them to Team HISD. I hope that you will join me in congratulating them on their selection to these new positions. Mar 5, 2010, 08:26

Security's tighter for TAKS after Houston cheating claim
Houston ISD fourth-graders took the TAKS writing test under tighter security Wednesday as officials investigate allegations of cheating by educators at Jefferson Elementary School. [ View Article ] Mar 5, 2010, 07:54

Houston: Did Teachers Try To Cheat On TAKS?
An elementary school is investigated after allegations arise that teachers may have given students the topic of a TAKS test essay question ahead of time. [ View Article ] Mar 5, 2010, 07:48

66,500 El Paso students take 1st part of TAKS today
The first round of TAKS testing starts today, including an English exam high-school students must pass to graduate. More than 66,500 El Paso students in grades fourth, seventh, ninth, 10th and 11th will take the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills in writing, reading and English. Results of these tests -- coupled with results from exams administered in April -- will be used to rate schools and districts as either unacceptable, acceptable, recognized or exemplary. [ View Article ] Mar 5, 2010, 07:45

Goose Creek: ECHS to help at-risk students get college credit
Suzanne Heinrich is ready to start laying the groundwork for the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District’s Early College High School program. Heinrich, executive director of Curriculum and Instruction, and GCCISD representatives will begin a two-week effort later this month to inform eighth-grade students about the Early College High School (ECHS) initiative. [ View Article ] Mar 5, 2010, 07:45

Report of TAKS cheating is investigated in Houston
Two employees at a campus in the state's largest public school system have been reassigned as administrators investigate a report of cheating to prepare for the TAKS. Security was tightened Wednesday as some fourth-graders took the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills.Teachers at Jefferson Elementary School said last week that they were given the writing topic ahead of time, leading to the reassignment of the pair Wednesday, the Houston Chronicle reported.[ View Article ] Mar 5, 2010, 07:40

Beilue: Will the new testing be less TAKS-ing?
It's TAKS season, not to be confused with tax season, although both have been known to cause equal parts pain and stress. [ View Article ] Mar 5, 2010, 07:20

Baytown Junior School uses 'The Force' in TAKS
The Language Arts Department and other faculty members of Baytown Junior School developed an innovative approach to preparing students for the writing portion of this year’s Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test.[ View Article ] Mar 4, 2010, 07:49

Brazosport: Schools make most of TAKSing situation
Though TAKS might be a dirty word to many parents and educators, for now it’s still the final word in school-district ratings. This is Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills week. Brazoria County students in various grade levels will be sitting down to take the standardized test that charts their success in grasping state-required skills. [ View Article ] Mar 4, 2010, 07:45

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