Transcript Slide 1
Schools, Our Future????
nd
82
Legislative Session
Reduction in Funding -
Foundation School
Program
No Mandate Relief
Increased Accountability
Standards
Expanded State Testing
No Light at the End of
the Tunnel!
Where Are We Going & What Can
YOU Do?
Radical School Reforms
1960’s & 70’s
Tear down the walls between classrooms
Abolish all rules & requirements
English teachers can teach math, math teachers can
teach English
Students design their own courses
Students learn whatever they feel like learning –
whenever
Remove graduation requirements, grades, tests,
textbooks
1983 - Nation At Risk
Problems Linked to
60-70 Reforms
Curriculum
Graduation
Requirements
Teacher Preparation
Quality of Textbooks
Did NOT Address
Impact of Societal
Issues
Nation At Risk Recommendations
The New Basics:
4 years of English
3 years of Math
3 years of Science
3 years of Social Studies
½ year of Computer
Science
2 years of Foreign
Language (College
Bound)
Colleges/Universities
raise admissions
requirements
Upgrade quality of
textbooks
Lengthen school day &
school year
More homework
Special classes for
disruptive students
1980’s - Texas Blue Ribbon Committee
TABS – Basic
TEAMS – Minimum
TAAS - Minimum
TAKS – Grade Level
STAAR – College/Career
Readiness
1990’s - Age of Accountability
Measured school success
based on test scores in:
4 subject areas
Every child tested every
year
Schools Rated:
Exemplary
Recognized
Acceptable
Unacceptable
2000’s – Federal Accountability
(NCLB – No Child Left Behind)
Texas Model goes to
Washington
2 subject areas
States would reform
schools
Low performing schools
would get help
Students in failing
schools could transfer to
other schools
Reality Today
Test-driven education system
Teachers spend more time preparing for “the tests”
Curriculum narrowed
Non-tested subjects/activities pushed aside
Increased numbers of college students in
developmental courses
Programs created to keep the increasing numbers of
students from dropping out of school
Reality Today
Over-burdened with bureaucratic requirements,
procedures
Lowest performing group will determine rating of
campus and district :
27 Tests – 3rd through Exit (EOC)
5 Groups of Students (All, AA, Hisp., Wh., Eco. Disadv)
Financial Gains for Private Sector Businesses:
Tutoring Resources
Testing Services
Test Prep Materials
Greatest Flaw in the “New Reform”
2014
ALL students in every
school must be
proficient in reading and
math. (On Grade Level)
Special Needs
Non-English
Disadvantaged
Homeless
Failure to Meet
Schools will be closed
Teachers fired
Principals fired
Public schools
privatized
Comparable to:
Federal and state laws
that demanded:
Every last molecule of
pollution will vanish!
All American cities will
be crime-free!
Factors Outside the School’s
Control
Child’s ability /health
Education of child’s parents
Involvement of parents in child’s education
Resources in the home
How much the child studies
How much TV the child watches
Child’s motivation
Dysfunctional home-life
Characteristics of Texas Compared
to Nation
• 2nd – Total Student Enrollment
• 1st - Enrollment Growth
• 1st - Hispanic Student Enrollment Growth
• 42nd – Instructional Expenditures per Pupil ($5,443)
• 29th – Pupils per Teacher
• 35th – Freshman Graduation Rates
• LAST - % of Over 25 Year Old Adults Completing High
School (79.9%)
Characteristics of Texas Compared
to Nation
• 31st - % over 25 Year Old Adults Completing a
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•
•
Bachelor’s Degree (25.5%)
9th - % of People Below Poverty Level in Past 12
Months
8th - % of Children Below Poverty Level in Past 12
Months
41st - % 18-24 Year Olds enrolled in Higher Ed
46th - % of High School Teachers Teaching with a
Major in their Main Assignments
Today’s Classroom
Class of 30 Students:
8 Poverty
3 Extreme Poverty
12 Non-white
10 Different Language
5 Not Raised by Parent
1 Homeless
6 Mobile
7 Abused
Texas Public Education
Past 10 Years
Past 10 years
Added 845,000 students
384,000 in Kindergarten
thru 5th Grade
Economically
Added 1,040 Campuses
disadvantaged increased
by 897,000
49% to 59%
Added 65 Charter
Schools
Texas Public Education
Past 5 Years
Budgets frozen at 2005-
2006 funding
Consider inflation, 11%
reduction over 5 years
Education Code
expanded from 1000
pages to 1,500 pages
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82
Legislative Membership
House
101 Republicans
49 Democrats
Senate
19 Republicans
12 Democrats
Mandate from Voters in
2010 as carried by the 37
Newly Elected House
No new taxes
Shrink government
Cut Government
spending
Protect the Rainy Day
Fund
State Priorities
Balance the Budget –
without raising taxes
Voter Identification
Immigration –
Abolishing Sanctuary
Cities
Pre-Abortion Sonograms
Eminent Domain
Protect Rainy Day Fund
Funding Cuts – SB 1
• (-$4 Billion) Foundation School Program
• (-$1.3 Billion) – Outside the FSP
– After -School Programs
– Pre-Kindergarten Grants
– Tutorial Programs for TAKS Failures
– TEA ( Cut 350 Employees)
– Region Service Centers
– Instructional Materials
– Technology Allotment
Funding Inequities
2010-2011:
District revenues $3,910 to $13,093 per
student
PISD received $5,225 per
student (2010-2011)
SB 1 (2011-2013)
Gaps in funding remain
Average cuts to districts
5.6% for 2011-2012
5.4% for 2012-2013
Repealed proration state will not make-up
the lost revenue
Debate- Schools Not Efficient
Staff Patterns
Employees
Campus
Administration
Central
Administration
Teachers
Auxiliary Staff
Aides and
Support Staff
1999-2000
2.6%
2009-2010
2.8%
.9%
1%
51.3%
27.6%
17.6%
50.5%
27%
18.7%
SB 8 – Legislature’s Efforts to
Address Loss of Revenue
• Reduction in Salaries
• Furloughs (6 non-instructional days)
• Limits FITNESSGRAM to those in PE credit courses
• Amended non-renewal timelines
• Suspend without pay in lieu of pending discharge
Reality for Districts
• Termination of staffing
positions:
– RIFs
– Attrition
• Reassignments:
– Librarians
– Art/Music
• Cut supplies, materials,
technology
• Eliminate special programs
Reality for Districts
Elimination/Reduction
of non-core programs or
classes:
Extra Curricular
Music
Art
Electives
Charging a fee to:
Ride the bus
Participate in extracurricular activities
Accessing technology
Increase fees for:
Meals
Supplies
Reality for Peaster ISD
• 2011-2012
– Loss of $505,663
• 2012-2013
– Loss of $302,429
Total of $808,092
Over two years.
Other Bills That Passed:
Official State………..
• Saltwater fish - Red Drum
• Music - Western Swing
• Water Lilly - Nymphaea Texas Dawn
• Table Domino Game - “Texas 42”
• Birthplace of Boogie Woogie - Marshall, Texas –
• Depot Capital of Texas - Giddings, Texas
• Getaway Capital of Texas - Lake Whitney
• Legendary Home of Chicken Fried Steak – Lamesa, Tx
Other Bills That Passed
SB 2189 – Legalized“noodling”
HB 716 – Hunt feral hogs and coyotes from a helicopter
(“pork choppers”)
Better luck next session!
The hamburger fell short - State Sandwich
Libscomb County’s - the Turkey Buzzard Capital of
Texas!
Bills That Failed
• Consolidation
• Sunset of State Board of
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•
Education
Middle School Reform
Private schools to
participate in UIL
Teacher Appraisal
Reform
Major relief from
EOCs/STAAR
New STATE Accountability System –
NO CHANGE
Driven by state
assessments
Weakest link determine
ratings
Available resources not
factored
Exceptions not
considered for
demographic differences
New STATE Accountability System
Interventions and
Sanctions
Closure Requirements
Alternative
Management Options
Accountability Manual
365 Pages
STAAR/EOC
Rigor increased –depth & level of cognitive complexity
Standards based other state, national, international
assessments
Timed Test
Increased graduation implications
EOC
• 12 End of Course Exams linked to college readiness:
• English I – III
• Alg. I, Geometry, Alg. II
• Biology, Chemistry, Physics
• World Geography, World History, US History
• Exams will count 15% of the course grade
• District policy – impact of EOC on course credit
EOC - Graduation Requirements
• Pass ALL 12 of the subject area tests AND
• Obtain a cumulative score in the 4 subject areas
• 3 Passing Standards based on Graduation Plan:
• Minimum
• Recommended
• Distinguished (College Readiness on English III and
Algebra II)
• Multiple retakes
Days of Testing
Grades 3 – 8
19 days of testing
27 with retesting
Grades 9 – 11
15 days of testing
45 days with retesting
2013 Train Wreck
Without major changes:
Revenue shortfall
Inequity in funding
Impact of new
college/career ready
standards
Accountability Systems
State and Federal
Politics
What are the NEEDED CHANGES?
• Redesign School
Finance:
• Adequate
• Equitable
• Quality of School:
• Multiple Criteria
• NOT Weakest Link
• Less Emphasis on Tests
• Politicians that
SUPPORT Public
Education
• Local Control
What Can You DO???
Grassroots Movement
Advocate for Public
Education
Get Involved
Hold Politicians
Accountable
Research Platform
Political Candidates
Registered Voter
Vote in the Primary
Election – March, 2012!