By Gilbert Hoffman
NORTHEAST – After a year of budget cuts, population growth, opening of new schools, and trimming of staff and special programs, the three superintendents of school districts in the North Houston area were prepared to report that they had survived with their education programs in good shape, and that the next year or two would be easier and results better.
The occasion for the report was the annual Luncheon of the Houston Intercontinental Chamber’s “State of the School Districts” event, and it was well attended by the community and the Chamber. The luncheon was held last Tuesday, Aug. 21 at the Hyatt North Houston hotel.
After introductory remarks by Chamber Chair Kirby Sanford, and president Reggie Gray, a short film was shown by Dr. Ralph Draper of Spring ISD, entitled “Ever Increasing Burden on our Public Schools.”
This film, narrated by Jamie Vollmer, was intended to make the point that in the last century the school classroom has added so many social and cultural teachings to the curriculum, that basic academics have had to compete with resources for time and attention.
The point made in the film is that more resources must be allocated if the schools are to continue to teach these non-academic subjects.
The film points out that since 1920, schools have undertaken responsibilities for transportation, business, art, music, kindergartens and pre-school, school lunches and breakfasts, head start programs, safety, counseling, and internet and technology advances. All of these have required time, money and attention resources.
After the film, a special talk was given by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. She commended the superintendents, and the educators present for their enormous “caring” for the children. She pointed out that special needs children must be provided for, even after they reach their teens. She noted that test scores are affected by how these children are dealth with, and urged districts to provide special vocational training so they can to on to lead productive and normal lives.
Each superintendent then made a presentation of the state of their districts.
Dr. Ralph Draper of Spring said that for the first time in 8 years his district was not opening new schools or changing boundaries, had only a 2 per cent growth rate, and a surplus in their budget. This return to a more normal routine was welcome, and he said that it gave the district an opportunity to concentrate on programs such as their Early College, which now has 200 enrollees that will get a Lone Star Degree as well as a high school diploma this year.
Spring was also able to open a “Green” school, Marshall Elementary, and saw this as a start on a 21st century teaching environment.
Dr. Draper thought that the future of his public education district was good, with the drop-out rate having been reduced to 8 percent from 28 percent in 1960. With the partnership with Lone Star College, he said a recent scholarship recipient told him “Now I have a future.”
Dr. Bamberg, superintendent of Aldine ISD, was proud to announce that the district will open its fifth full academic high school this year, Davis High School, named after a Tuskegee airman. She said some of the highlights of the last year included graduating 68 students from two classes of Urban College, and permitting students to bring iPads and iPhones to campus, a recognition of changes in life styles and technology.
Aldine Scholarship Foundation will honor the East Aldine District with a luncheon on Sept. 15, noting their substantial financial support of the ASF program.
Although the Aldine District was cited by the federal AYP program for not meeting their standards, she noted that 70 percent of Texas schools did not, and that they will not again this year. She questioned whether this metric was valid related to a good education. She told the story of a Nimitz Salutatorian who is now at MIT, doing well and not limited by his AISD education.
In general Bamberg was upbeat about the upcoming year, noting that the legislature will meet in January and probably have less of a budget problem related to education next year.
She opined that all of the educators were dedicated to their field, and the important reward was seeing the difference they made in children’s lives.
Klein superintendent Dr. Jim Cain thanks the chamber and the businesses present for their support of the schools. He noted some growth in the Klein district, about 700 new students this year.
The Klein ISD budget for next year will be $450 million, and he is looking for the legislature to help with more funding in January 2013. Texas continues to grow rapidly, with 160,000 new students statewide every two years. About 60% of these can be classified disadvantaged, requiring additional help from the state.
The audience questioned whether there was enough emphasis on skill or trade training, vs. college-bound teaching. Bamberg noted that state accountability ratings do not recognize skill programs, a problem. Draper suggested that there is too much testing emphasis, and that this gets in the way of education goals.
Want to help the School Districts? Both are having fund-raising golf tourneys, Klein on Oct. 16th and Spring on Oct. 30.