Schools, Our Future????

1. Schools, Our Future????

2. 82nd 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!

3. Where Are We Going & What Can YOU Do?

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 1980’s - Texas Blue Ribbon Committee • TABS – Basic • TEAMS – Minimum • TAAS - Minimum • TAKS – Grade Level • STAAR – College/Career Readiness

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. Comparable to: • Federal and state laws that demanded: • Every last molecule of pollution will vanish! • All American cities will be crime-free!

14. 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

15. 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%)

16. Characteristics of Texas Compared to Nation • 31st - % over 25 Year Old Adults Completing a 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

17. 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

18. Texas Public Education • Past 10 Years • Added 845,000 students • 384,000 in Kindergarten thru 5th Grade • Economically disadvantaged increased by 897,000 • 49% to 59% • Past 10 years • Added 1,040 Campuses • Added 65 Charter Schools

19. 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

20. 82nd 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

21. State Priorities • Balance the Budget – without raising taxes • Voter Identification • Immigration – Abolishing Sanctuary Cities • Pre-Abortion Sonograms • Eminent Domain • Protect Rainy Day Fund

22. 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

23. Texas Also Has a $10 Billion Structural Deficit Bill $

24. Funding Inequities • 2010-2011: • District revenues - $3,910 to $13,093 per student • LISD - $4,940 per student • HISD - $4,774 per student • 1,033 districts, HISD ranks in the bottom 10% • SB 1 (2011-2013) • Gaps in funding remain • Average cuts to districts 5.6% for 2011-20125.4% for 2012-2013 • Repealed proration - state will not make-up the lost revenue

25. 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

26. Reality for Districts • Termination of staffing positions: • RIFs • Attrition • Reassignments: • Librarians • Art/Music • Cut supplies, materials, technology • Eliminate special programs

27. 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 extra-curricular activities • Accessing technology • Increase fees for: • Meals • Supplies

28. Reality for Hudson ISD • 2011-2012 • Loss of $1.3 Million • 2012-2013 • Loss of $965,000 • Elimination of: • 4 Teaching Positions • 1 Curriculum Specialist • Athletic Department: • Reduced Allotment Per Student by $35 • Consolidated Bus Trips for Travel/Eliminated Meals • No Capital Projects • Purchase 1 Bus, Rather Than 2

29. 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

30. 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!

31. Bills That Failed • Consolidation • Sunset of State Board of Education • Middle School Reform • Private schools to participate in UIL • Teacher Appraisal Reform • Major relief from EOCs/STAAR

32. New STATE Accountability System – NO CHANGE • Driven by state assessments • Weakest link determine ratings • Available resources not factored • Exceptions not considered for demographic differences

33. New STATE Accountability System • Interventions and Sanctions • Closure Requirements • Alternative Management Options

34. Accountability Manual 365 Pages

35. STAAR/EOC • Rigor increased –depth & level of cognitive complexity • Standards based other state, national, international assessments • Timed Test • Increased graduation implications

36. 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

37. 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

38. Days of Testing • Grades 3 – 8 • 19 days of testing • 27 with retesting • Grades 9 – 11 • 15 days of testing • 45 days with retesting

39. 2013 Train Wreck • Without major changes: • Revenue shortfall • Inequity in funding • Impact of new college/career ready standards • Accountability Systems • State and Federal • Politics

40. 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

41. 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 – April ?????? 2012!

42. In 1838, President Mirabeau Lamar addressed the Third Congress of the Republic of Texas, explaining his vision of the importance of education. “A cultivated mind is the guardian genius of democracy, and while guided and controlled by virtue, is the noblest attribute to man. It is the only dictator that free men acknowledge, and the only security that free men desire.”